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What would you include in your dream high street?

61 replies

PunnyBeaker · 01/05/2026 16:39

Primark

OP posts:
Badbadbunny · 01/05/2026 16:44

A full range of small independent shops, like it used to be in the 70s/80s before the chains took over and before all the retail parks, out of town shopping centres, and of course, the internet.

I absolutely love the big villages and small towns you can still sometimes find in more rural areas where there are no big supermarkets and retail parks - they tend to still have a "high street" with lots of independents, where you can literally spend hours just popping in and looking around at loads of unusual/non mainstream goods. I particularly love the independent hardware stores selling all kinds of things you didn't think you needed!!

Knittedandwashedmyeyes · 01/05/2026 16:46

Accessible shops. Not just no steps but doors that open automatically and you can actually get around inside.
A marks and Spencer and next that have a good petite range.
An independent cafe that is welcoming and serves reasonably priced food. I dont want fancy just a soup and roll or chicken salad etc.
A book shop.

shellyleppard · 01/05/2026 16:47

I would have.....a really good bookshop. A hardware store. The sort where you can buy just one or two screws etc. a sewing shop. Used to have all of these in my local town but sadly long gone now. I really miss Wilkinson's for tools, odd job bits etc

Obeseandashamed · 01/05/2026 16:52

A crèche so I can shop in peace 🤣 On a serious note, would love lots of independents with unique offerings and some good quality cafes with seasonal menu options.

canuckup · 01/05/2026 16:52

Woolworths

Debenhams, with the cafe that did five item breakfast for a quid

River island

Waterstones

Plummagic · 01/05/2026 16:59

Primark
A proper old fashioned bakery. Not Greggs or a poncy artisan one.
A cafe
Wilkos
A department store.
Marks and Spencers food hall.

Uptee · 01/05/2026 17:06

Shops that actually stock their full range, rather than telling you to go online and order. If I wanted to order online I wouldn't fucking be here would I?

Shops that give you a bag, for free, to take your new clothes home in.

Shops that don't have tiered pricing/smart pricing. Sainsbury's is the worst for this, those individual nectar prices. Not just weekly fluctuations but weekly fluctuations geared towards what they know the top limit you'll pay is, because they've been collecting data about you for years.

I'd like : M&S, Primark, Richer Sounds, some boutiques, a couple of cocktail bars, a couple of cafés (no more than that, I'm sick of fucking cafes everywhere), at least three bookshops (regular, detective and second hand), a second hand record shop, a hardware shop, a department store with interesting franchises, a furniture shop, a sheet music and instrument shop. No dogs allowed in any of them. If you want to walk your dog take it to a field, not into a bloody shop.

Uptee · 01/05/2026 17:06

Oh yes, butcher, baker and fishmonger too.

squashyhat · 01/05/2026 17:37

A second-hand book and record store has just opened in my village. I have no idea how the owner makes any money - maybe it's just as much a front as the ubiquitous nail bars and barbers - but you get free mint tea and can browse for as long as you like. It's wonderful!

Uptee · 01/05/2026 17:43

A lot of the kids are buying CDs these days and they've been buying vinyl for a while.

JoyLoveJoyInOrbitNsoul · 01/05/2026 18:04

Real shops not vapes and Barbers
Oh to have John Lewis back.

Hatty65 · 01/05/2026 18:21

Like many others have said, proper shops! No vape shops, Turkish barbers and mobile phones. No nail bars.

I want a bookshop and an independent coffee shop.
A brilliant old fashioned Ironmongers
A craft shop that has an extensive choice of fabric
Some independent shops selling lovely and different gifts
I miss Woolworths
I miss Wilkos
I miss Debenhams and Binns and BHS
I miss Dorothy Perkins

CharSiu · 01/05/2026 18:59

Just go back in time 25 years.

GoldMoon · 01/05/2026 19:01

A couple of department stores as really miss them .

TrentCrimmsflowinglocks · 01/05/2026 19:04

Some really good yarn shops!
A old school hardware type shop that sells everything from fuses to plastic buckets.
second hand record shop
a decent stationary store

Beesandhoney123 · 01/05/2026 19:08

Free parking.

FloofyKat · 01/05/2026 19:13

I would choose …
A big, independent bookshop with a second-hand section
An independent coffee shop with plenty of comfy seats and natural light, that doesn’t shut at 4pm
A cafe with lots of light snacks
An optician
A greengrocers
A butcher
A gift shop stocking items made locally
An M&S
A stationers
Bakery
Jeweller
M&Co type clothing shop
Just one or two charity shops
A craft shop / wool shop / sewing bits and pieces

Can parking please be cheap or free?

Gorbie · 01/05/2026 19:17

Excellent thread
A butchers
A bakery
M&s food
Wilko
Dorothy perkins
Book shop
Card shop
Woolworths
Good cafes with good coffee

Dunnocantthinkofone · 01/05/2026 19:19

A clothing shop which has reasonable quality goods that last more than five minutes without needing a second bloody mortgage to buy a t-shirt

Miranda65 · 01/05/2026 19:20

Primark would be the first one on the banned list - horrible!

I'd have 2 or 3 independent coffee shops/cafes
A top end jeweller & watchmaker
One or two independent bookshops
Gudrun Sjoden
Smythson's
Plus a more "everyday" stationer
Agree re second hand books and records
Smart florists
Hardware store
Seasalt
Uniqlo
Longchamps
White Company, for my bedding
Independent country clothing store, of the sort you still get in some market towns (so that my husband might occasionally buy some new clothes!)
Independent bike shop (also for husband)

And for reliable basics, John Lewis and M&S.

Yiayoula · 01/05/2026 19:21

@FloofyKat - that sounds almost perfect !

I’d just add a craft shop selling fabric and yarn, an old-fashioned ironmongers , and a Post office .

Onlyhereforthebatshitneighbours · 01/05/2026 19:22

All of these + a couple of good pubs and a couple of cafes

Also,
Hairdressers
Toy shop
Several shoe shops
A proper department store like House of Frasers used to be, with high end make up & beauty concession stands
and a Woo shop, with lots of incense

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 01/05/2026 19:25

Some independent clothing stores with a good range, space nk, a hardware store, decent homewares store, a really good card shop, couple of nice cafes that have good seating, wine bar or two, a decent bakery that also does birthday cakes, Uniqlo, John Lewis, a good butcher, and a greengrocer that sells a good range of loose fruit and veg.

Troublein · 01/05/2026 19:25

An ordinary cafe which did not allow any dogs except guide dogs.

Seating outside so you can take a break or sort out your bags, or decide where you are going next.

Dog free shops who stock all the ordinary sizes and don't constantly tell you they can order your size so I can come back and collect it in a week if I give them my name, address and phone number as well as my card details.

Clothes shops with changing rooms that only allow biological women in the womens changing room.

Public toilets that only allow biological women in the womens toilets.

Shops who take cash and don't have loyalty cards or require my data to give me a receipt.

Shops that definitely open Mon - Sat and don't constantly have signs hung up with opening times more complex than a train timetable.

Shops with staff who are not permitted to have their mobile phone on the shop floor, who speak in clear English and are generally found near the till, not hanging out in a group gossiping while customers queue wondering when one of them will bother to actually do their job.

I'd like that on a high street with no Turkish barbers, no vape shops, no American candy shops, no salons full of non English speaking women I worry are trafficked looking sad doing nails, and I'd like less than 10% of the shops should be allowed to be charity shops.

Turnitoffnonagain · 01/05/2026 19:25

An old fashioned ice cream parlour as seen on some American movies.
A really good independent chocolatier.
( I've got the fancy for something sweet).

Chelsea Girl and Etam, I would spend all my wages in those early 80s.

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