OnDemand: The Restoring the High Street Conference 2026

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You can watch all the insights, key sessions, and expert discussions from The Restoring the High Street Conference 2026 by purchasing our OnDemand Event. Access recordings of every session, including presentations from leading industry speakers*, and watch at your own pace.

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• Watch on your own schedule – no need to clear your calendar or worry about time zones
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Access this conference OnDemand today for £99 here.

2026 Overview

The high street remains the heart of every local community, acting as a hub for economic activity, social connection, and essential services. However, years of underinvestment, changing consumer behaviour, difficult trading conditions, and the rising cost of living have contributed to significant decline across Britain’s high streets. The high street is undergoing a period of transformation with national policy initiatives like Pride in Place and High Street Innovation funding creating new opportunities to reimagine high streets as thriving community-led spaces.

The Restoring the High Street Conference 2026 explored how national strategy is being translated into effective local action. Hear from leading policymakers, local authorities, businesses, and community organisations on revitalising town centres, supporting independent businesses, improving safety, and delivering innovative, community-led solutions.

2026 Agenda

• 9.50am

  Chair’s Opening Remarks

  Professor Nigel Morgan, Professor of Social Sustainability, Manchester Metropolitan University

  

• 10.00am

  Keynote: Community-Led Regeneration
  

  Catriona Maclay, Associate Director, Practice & Innovation, Power to Change

  

• 10.20am

  Keynote: Devolution in Practice: What Does the Future of the High Street Look Like?

  • Understanding the implications of Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution for towns and town centre management and outlining what towns can do to prepare
  • Exploring the opportunities and challenges devolution may present for high streets, local economies, and place-making
  • The 25 issues and 4 R’s
  • Considering responsibility and leadership in delivering remediation and long-term town centre improvement
  • Examining the importance of strengthening partnerships to drive sustainable regeneration

  Graham Galpin, Senior Fellow, The Institute of Place Management, Thought Leader, The High Street Consultancy

   

• 10.40am

  Case Study: Health on the High Street 

  • Understanding the importance of accessible healthcare services for improving the healthcare system and revitalising local communities
  • Outlining the impact of health hubs on reducing inequality and improving outcomes
  • Strategies for integrating health, wellbeing, and social care into high street space

  Gemma Thomas, Director of Strategy, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

    

• 11.00am

  Questions and Answers 

• 11.20am

  Comfort Break

• 11.40am

  Case Study: Reviving the Nighttime Economy
  

  • Understanding the key role the nighttime economy plays in supporting culture, employment, and community vibrancy
  • Adapting high street nighttime offerings to reflect changing consumer behaviours and lifestyle trends
  • Ensuring safety and accessibility are central to nighttime economy strategies
  • Building strong partnerships between councils, businesses, and law enforcement to support sustainable growth

  Mike Kill, CEO, Nighttime Industries Association

  

• 12.00pm

  Case Study: Engaging Children and Young People on the High Street
  

  • Understanding the role of young people in shaping high street regeneration projects and initiatives
  • Strategies for creating safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces for youth participation
  • Highlighting successful youth-led projects that have driven footfall and community cohesion
  • Building partnerships between local authorities, schools, and youth organisations to sustain long-term engagement

  Joe Barratt Executive Director, Place for Youth

  

• 12.20pm

  Questions and Answers

• 12.40pm

  Lunch Break

• 1.40pm

  Keynote: Turning Vacancy into Opportunity on the High Street
  

  • Attracting, incubating and retaining the most promising local high street entrepreneurs 
  • Tackling persistent vacancy challenges across high streets with fragmented ownership
  • Unlocking social and commercial value from underutilised council-owned assets
  • Proactively shaping the high street tenant mix within any town, city or regional centres
  • Matching different incubator models to regeneration and economic development priorities

  Alex Schalgman, Co Founder, Save The High Street

  

• 2.00pm

  Case Study: Creating Impactful Meanwhile Use Spaces 

  • Exploring how meanwhile use can act as a catalyst for long-term regeneration and investment
  • Building partnerships between local authorities, landlords, and community organisations to unlock vacant spaces
  • Understanding the challenges of setting up a meanwhile use space and how to overcome them
  • Measuring the social, economic, and cultural impact of meanwhile use initiatives

  Emily Berwyn, Executive Director, Meanwhile Space

  

• 2.20pm

  Questions and Answers

• 2.40pm

  Comfort Break 

• 3.00pm

  Panel: Strengthening Community Safety Through High Street Innovation
  

  • Understanding crime and anti-social behaviour on the high street and the key drivers behind it
  • Outlining the impact of theft and insecurity on local businesses
  • Strengthening partnerships between the police, council, and local businesses to tackle crime on the high street
  • Strategies for building stronger, resilient communities through engagement on the high street

  Hannah Wadey, CEO, Safer Business Network

  

  Lucy Whing, Policy Advisor, British Retail Consortium

  

  Josh Nicholson, Head of Programme (Housing and Communities), Centre for Social Justice

  

• 3.40pm

  Chair’s Closing Remarks

  Professor Nigel Morgan, Professor of Social Sustainability, Manchester Metropolitan University

  

• 3.50pm

  Conference Close 

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