Jims Place, a huge resource of historical imagery

http://excoboard.com/jimsplace/134958

Stumbled across this website and found lots of useful information and photos of Aberdeen. 

Mary Portas independent review into future of high streets

Image from Mary Portas website

http://www.maryportas.com/news/2011/12/12/the-portas-review/

Mary Portas has appeared in the media a lot over saving the high street and her ideas to do this. She has also had television programs highlighting the issues of the high street. Having had a quick look through her review it contains lots of useful information and statistics that I could use in my project.

Really like the illustrations on Mary Portas website, they have a nice energetic vibe. That's how the high streets should be!

The changing British high street

Searching Google for some information on the British high street I found this animation created by someone also studying Graphic Design. The animation is simply a scrolling high street showing an evolution from the old independent shops, to the big brands taking over. For example taking a classy looking fashion outlet called 'Tailor' and replacing it with 'Primark' as the animation scrolls by.

This is a very clever idea. It's simple but visually illustrates the change that most if not all of Britain's high streets are facing. It fits in nicely with what my project is looking at and could be quite good inspiration into my own project development.

Bruce millers over the years

Bruce Millers first shop, George St (1900-1977)

Bruce Millers, Loch St (1983-1983)

Bruce Millers, Union St (1983-2011)

It's interesting to look at the changes to the shop frontage over the years, symbolizing changes in consumerism and the graphics that appealed. 

The future of our high streets?

It doesn't take much searching to find an empty shop unit on Aberdeen's busiest high street, union street. I walked the length of union street with my camera to document these, below are a few of the empty units.

Bruce Millers Jan 2012

One of the more recent and iconic names to close its doors was Bruce Millers. 111 years of trading in Aberdeen came to an end on the 6th June 2011. Leaving another hole in union street.

Unit on Union Street, Aberdeen. Jan 2012

Union street is supposed to be Aberdeen's busiest high street, it's supposed to be the heart of shopping in Aberdeen. Yet units like this are being left in very poor condition and really do impact on the visual appeal of the high street. The windows are dirty, out of date posters, out of date properties being advertised and incomplete signage. This doesn't look welcoming and impacts on the appeal of the surrounding shops.

Esslemont & Macintosh Jan 2012

Ever since this department store closed on the 5th May 2007 this huge retail unit has laid empty. It currently has council messages on the boarded up windows. It really does look awful and situated near the likes of marischal college it is terrible.

Unit on Union St Jan 2012

Are high streets destined for failure?

The Great British high street

A great video looking at what the British high street actually is. The video starts off looking at how big brands make up most of the shops within towns, claiming that 41% of towns around the country are described as "clone" towns. Towns dominated by well known retail brands and only a handful of independents. Much like Aberdeen where most brands have more than one store, some like Next having three!

It discusses keeping a balance of the big high street brands in order to get consumers on the street and the diversity of services and products that independents can offer to local towns.

"I prefer the smaller boutiques as before you can get one off items, rather than everybody wearing the same shoes." Quote from a Stevenage shopper.

Independent stores are good for local economy, they work and live within the towns so spend their money locally. They don't take their profits out of the local town like the big brands.

Norwich has managed to create a community of independent shops, this has been helped by the local council supporting them.

"If you shop in a chain of shops then you could be anywhere but if you've got independent shops then it helps retains the cities identity." Norwich shopper. I strongly agree, what is the point shopping in another town to buy something that you could have bought in your local town? Ever since Cult has opened in Aberdeen I've never seen so many Super Dry jackets!

"Google reports that 60% of consumers shop online for products they intend to buy in store so the high street still plays a role. People like to interact with product that they prior researched online or alternatively they do their research in the high street, then they order online."

This is where the high streets advantage lies, physical product experience. Through the use of technology, the Internet is pushing to replicate the the product experience with good presentation.

Some iconic names...

A long afternoon in Aberdeen's central library proved useful, throwing up lots of interesting imagery of a historic Aberdeen high street. Here are a couple examples and some thoughts.

Woolworth at its 1979 Union Street home

Located where Primark currently is on Union Street, an old household name that in 2008/9 succumbed to its debts and went into administration closing all of its 800+ high street shops. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7811187.stm - BBC news article on closure.

Woolworths was a place to pick up bargains. In its later years it faced stiff competition from pound shops and supermarkets who began to offer the same kind of items so really lost its place in the market. 

However the name Woolworths has been "re-born" over the Internet. The name was purchased and turned into an Internet shop (http://www.woolworths.co.uk). I have to admit I only discovered this myself whilst doing some background research into Woolworths. Having a browse around the website it is in a very competitive marketplace with Amazon and even eBay. The most interesting aspect though is that someone decided the brand itself was worth purchasing and turning into an online shop, nostalgia? As an Internet brand I think people are more likely to google Amazon or eBay over Woolworths.

My fond memories of Woolies was the cheap pick n' mix which they are offering online.

Bruce Miller & Co in George Street 1900-1984

Moving to Union Street in 1984 where it would remain until its closure in 2011 after 100 years in business. (http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/2293917)

Bruce Millers was a very iconic, local independent business situated in Aberdeen. It's a great shame that a company with such local heritage has closed its doors for good. Independent shops offer a welcoming change from the super brands that are all very much in uniform nationally.

I would like to try get in touch with people who worked at Bruce Millers, especially the owners. This could prove fruitful in providing information of how trading over the years has changed and allow me to look at how graphic design has influenced a change in consumerism. Does good design and strong brands create enough desire that the high street is no longer required?