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Woolies: The Cantle Challenge

From The Times

January 17, 2009

Woolies’ demise is a community opportunity

Woolworths was at the heart of communities and must be replaced by local businesses not more faceless brands

Sir, The tragic demise of Woolworths has left a huge gap to fill. In market towns all across the country “the wonder of Woolies” was that it provided a heart to our high streets. Instead of refilling all of the 800 shop premises with yet another “brand”, we believe there is the opportunity to do things differently: to help to remake the high street and to create local community/business networks to harness entrepreneurial talent, foster resilience, build local sustainability and create a new and productive bond between people, business and the community.

A number of reports have already drawn attention to the homogenisation of our high street — a handful of national and local brands dominate every shopping centre from Truro to Tynemouth. Moreover, for once, let’s anticipate the impact of recession on communities and intervene before tensions arise, and we all pay the price in loss of cohesion. If the money is there to underwrite the financial system, there must surely be enough for the modest intervention in the renewal of our communities.

We propose that the former Woolworths stores be converted into modern market halls, owned and controlled at a local level, providing space and support for local grown produce and locally produced goods. The first occupants could be the local farmers who presently have to contend with all weathers on windswept car parks. They could share refrigeration, storage, cash handling and marketing, gaining a prominent daily foothold in the high street, benefiting from the economies of scale.

But other local products could also be brought to market, again sharing many services and with access to business support and business development.

Each local store could be run by local chambers of commerce or other community groups with support from local authorities, using their economic development powers and, just as importantly, by networking local producers and business services to reconnect with the retail industry in local communities. We hear a lot about the importance of building social capital and the role of civil society. Rarely do we get the chance to invest in their renewal to the benefit of people and community.

It would be a tragedy to waste this once in a generation opportunity.

Ted Cantle

Executive Chair, Institute of Community Cohesion

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