Do you own a shop or are considering opening one? Walking through my local town centre a few days ago I noticed another two shops had closed down, including a very well known name. For me this is sad for several reasons. Not only is it a reflection of the tough times retail outlets are facing, but it also represents the shift in spending patterns and types of shops we're increasingly seeing on our high streets.

More and more we're finding either short-term shops, which come along sell low value goods and disappear as quickly as they came, or more permanent shops selling all manner of products at very cheap prices. While those living on a tight budget find these shops invaluable we have to ask ourselves whether they are actually doing more to damage the image of the high street than helping to save it. Are consumers increasingly seeing the high street as as predominantly full of 'cheap' shops which can be found in any town. Are we losing our identities and what makes each town special and unique and therefore our attachment?

Of course the shift started decades ago with the advent of out of town shopping centres. Every shop you could possibly need all under one roof! Planners thought they'd come up with a great idea, but the affect these centres had on towns was huge. However, these large centre have no personality or individuality - much like many town centres ended up.

After the out of town shopping centres came the surge in online shopping. Everything you can possibly imagine can now be bought online, and this has had a massive impact on town centre shopping, but is the end of our towns? The answer is no. Planners just need to adjust to the latest shift in spending, just as they have in previous decades. Consumers need to be given a reason to come back to town centres by focussing on communities and what they need and want. Much redevelopment as already taken place in my local town, but it's clearly not enough yet to stop the decline.

In the current economic climate it's difficult to get people spending, but when they do spend we need to ensure high streets are one of the options they consider. If you're planning to open a shop make sure you do your research well. Where's the best footfall? Are there competitors nearby? How are the competition doing? Don't be put off opening a retail shop as it can be an incredibly rewarding route into business.

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