Almost 50 shops disappear everyday from high streets across Britain, 18,250 each year (Local Data Company). This is the impact our rapidly-changing society has had on the common high street. Due to technological revolution and the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, many big-name stores such as Debenhams and Bensons for Beds plummeted into administration, with many more are soon to follow. However, one company sets out to revive our high streets with innovative entertainment. 

 

Gravity, founded in 2014 by Harvey Jenkinson and Michael Harrison, originated as a series of trampoline parks, but has since branched out to active entertainment, building their first venue in Wandsworth High Street. The venue flaunts an electric karting track, 14-lane AR bowling, street golf, arcade and many more activities. COO Michael Harrison describes it as “a real, immersive experience” and the establishment has attracted thousands of people since its opening on August 13th 2021. I interviewed James Curd, line manager at Gravity, to gather insight into how companies imagine the future of high streets to be and how they aim to keep it full of life.

 

Q: Why do you think the high street, as we know it, is changing?

A: The main reason why it's changing is due to the internet. Stereotypically, before the internet, people went out to buy items, now people are using the internet to buy things online. I think things got worse since Covid, because obviously people were restricted to staying at home, but generally, instead of going into a shop, people can buy stuff online without having to leave the comfort of their own home.

 

Q: Will in-store shopping always exist?

A: Yes it will definitely exist, in what scale I don't know because people like to touch clothing material before they buy, especially the older generation, whereas with online you can’t, you have to guess your size and other aspects, and to physically buy something is an experience rather than just a task.

 

Q: How would fully online shopping affect employment and the economy?

A: Fully online shops will have a negative effect on staffing, you wouldn't need that many people to serve as it's done online. However you would need people to pack it, until robots come in. It would have a positive effect on the economy as it means more business but also negative as it would decrease staffing. 

 

Q: How do you think Gravity will influence the future of the common high street?

A: Leisure and entertainment is always evolving, and I think this is the next step, coming from my background in a karting venue, where people would kart for an hour and go home. Gravity is an experience where you can spend the whole day there. Southside Shopping Centre’s footfall has gone up since we opened, shops are making more money. Moving forward, shopping centres are approaching companies like Gravity to put venues in them to increase their profit. Gravity is the first of its kind and it’s gotten to a stage where shopping centres are approaching us and paying us to put units into their shopping centres.

The future of the high street has been dismantled by the growing threat of Covid and the internet. Nevertheless, companies like Gravity are rebranding the high street as an entertainment haven, bringing the public back to stores and aiding the fight to make the in-store experience a commonality once more.