This year, the colour that stands out is pink – a colour that speaks love, warmth and connection, a colour that can transform your space and subtly influence shoppers’ moods and behaviours. And we know we’re a bit biased, but we’ve never met a shopping centre that didn’t look better with a touch of pink!

Why does pink work in retail spaces?

Colour isn’t just about decoration – it’s psychology in action. In a retail environment, the right colour shades can make spaces feel inviting, transform the atmosphere, and even increase dwell time.
For Valentine’s Day, the colour pink isn’t just seasonal. Whether it appears in window displays, digital signage, or social media campaigns, the right pink can guide shoppers to key areas in your place, highlight promotions, and make your destination feel like the place to be.

Our team have picked some Pantone pinks they love for Valentine’s, and yes, we’ve snuck our brand pink in here too!

Quick wins to take advantage of Valentine’s Day at your destination

Even if Valentine’s Day is almost here, it’s a great reminder of how simple and thoughtful gestures can transform a shopping centre.

• From balloons and floral arrangements to floor graphics and unforgettable social media moments, we bring décor and displays to life.
• Interactive experiences, such as photo ops and Instagram-worthy installation get visitors involved and excited to share your space with others.
• Coordinating promotions and themed activations with tenants adds an extra spark and keeps visitors engaged.

Even subtle design choices and activations can create a welcoming space that encourages shoppers to stay longer. And whilst Valentine’s Day will be over before we know it, the same logic can be applied throughout the year. 

Our team loves helping centres plan seasonal campaigns and events that keep visitors coming back.

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As I sit here gazing into the future towards 2026, my mind wanders into the future of my career as a Graphic Designer. When I first started my career 13 years ago, AI wasn’t a ‘thing’, and it is now very much a part of all of our lives. 

If you have worked in the design industry over the last few years, there is a pretty big chance you’ve played around with AI tools. From DALL·E to mock up visuals, Midjourney for a mood board, or ChatGPT to help refine your copy. These tools have naturally snuck into our day-to-day lives, our personal assistants if you will! By 2026, AI won’t just be an assistant – it will play a bigger role in supporting the design process. But even as AI takes on more of the groundwork, the designer still leads the creative direction.

I am a traditional designer and still use AI as an assistant myself, but AI is undoubtedly getting more intelligent, and we’re entering the age of AI-first design. The design process doesn’t have to start with the designer; it can start with AI. Instead of us prompting AI to help refine our ideas, more and more creatives are letting AI begin the process – mocking up the first draft and initial layout, deciding the colour scheme and contributing to the tagline. The designer will still play a critical role, but more as a curator, refining the design and directing. 

Introducing the idea of a ‘zero draft’… Instead of starting with a blank artboard, AI can generate a rough foundation to spark ideas. It’s not a fully-formed design, but a springboard a starting point that the designer shapes into something original, relevant and client-ready.. With a simple instruction brief, AI generates a full layout with suggested colours, typography, including relevant imagery and even writes copy. It’s not a rough sketch, it’s version one! It may not be the final design, but it’s definitely a strong start, and that’s powerful.

This helps design workflows to become faster and more efficient. What used to be a longer process with research and multiple design alterations, starting any job, everything is becoming a lot more compressed. AI may speed up the early stages, but it’s the designer who shapes the concept, makes the creative decisions, and brings the work to life. The human touch isn’t an add-on, it’s the part that makes the design truly work. Designers are shifting from production mode to a strategic mode and are spending more time thinking and refining, and less time on the manual side.

I’m still on the fence for this new age era of design, as I love nothing more than researching and learning before executing the creative – that’s my favourite part! Although this is an exciting time for the progression of AI, the one thing AI cannot do is storytelling, add cultural awareness and bring emotional intelligence and ethics to the table. The designer’s place is not just about executing ideas but adding creative energy. Acting as a filter, the editor is the one responsible for adding that human touch. The designer will still own the visual, but AI will help reach it faster.

This shift in design will definitely come with its challenges. If AI is creating the first draft of everything, it could become a challenge for junior designers to learn the craft. If AI pulls ideas from the internet, who will own the work? And if everything starts looking like a template, where does the originality come from? I think these are the most important questions to consider and to remind everyone that technology doesn’t just change how we design, it challenges us to think about why and who we’re designing for in the first place.

Ultimately, AI isn’t about replacing creativity or designers, it’s about re-shaping the process so designers can spend more time where it really matters: solving problems, telling stories, and creating work that feels human. AI isn’t going anywhere, and it’s not about competing with it but embracing it and collaborating with it to guide it and to make sure our work still feels human and relatable to the client and the brief. The best designers in 2026 will be the ones who learn to embrace these tools without losing their own creativity and making sure that the creative outputs look like something only the human mind could come up with. So if you find yourself with an AI draft as your first concept, take it and make it yours. Shape it into something better because design still starts and ends with you.

At Toolbox Marketing, we’ve seen firsthand how the right typography choices can transform a shopping centre’s brand perception and customer behaviour. Yet it’s often the most overlooked aspect of destination marketing.

Your Font is Your Brand’s First Impression

When a potential visitor sees your marketing materials, whether it’s a digital ad, outdoor billboard or social media post they’re making split-second judgments about your shopping centre. Typography plays a huge role in that instant assessment.

Consider this: if you’re managing a premium shopping destination, but your marketing uses casual, playful fonts, you’re sending mixed signals. Conversely, if you’re trying to attract families but your typography feels cold and corporate, you’re creating barriers before customers even arrive.

The typography you choose becomes your brand’s voice. It tells visitors: “This place is for people like you” or “This isn’t quite right for me.” Getting this alignment right from day one can significantly impact your marketing ROI.

The Legibility Challenge in Retail Environments

Shopping centres present unique typography challenges that many marketing agencies don’t fully understand. Your signage needs to work across multiple contexts:

• Wayfinding systems where stressed parents need to find the nearest bathroom
• Digital displays viewed from various angles and distances
• Promotional materials competing for attention in busy walkways
• Social media content that needs to stop the scroll on mobile devices

We know that sometimes what looks perfect on paper, can fail in the real world. That’s why we always consider the practical application: Will this font work on a backlit sign? Is this easy for all visitors to read?? Does it maintain clarity when scaled down for mobile?

The cost of getting this wrong isn’t just aesthetic, it’s lost sales and frustrated customers who can’t navigate your centre effectively.

Creating Consistency Across Every Touchpoint

As a shopping centre manager, you’re juggling multiple marketing channels simultaneously. Your typography needs to work seamlessly across:

• Traditional advertising (print, radio, outdoor)
• Digital marketing (social media, Google ads, email campaigns)
• In-centre communications (signage, directories, promotional displays)
• Tenant communications and co-marketing materials

Without a consistent typographic system, your brand feels fragmented. Customers might not even consciously notice, but inconsistency erodes trust and recognition over time.

This is where having a destination marketing agency that understands retail environments makes a difference. We help shopping centres develop typography guidelines that work across every application, ensuring your brand feels cohesive whether someone encounters it on Instagram or at your information desk.

Typography That Drives Action

The ultimate goal of your marketing isn’t just brand awareness – it’s getting people through your doors and keeping them there longer. Typography can be a powerful behavioural tool when used strategically.

For example:

• Urgent promotions might benefit from bolder, more condensed fonts that create energy
• Luxury brand partnerships call for elegant, spacious typography that reflects quality
• Family events work better with friendly, approachable typefaces that feel welcoming
• Wayfinding systems need clear, simple fonts that reduce cognitive load

We’ve observed that shoppers respond differently to various typographic treatments, and smart shopping centre managers can use this to their advantage in driving specific behaviours.

The Hidden Cost of Poor Typography Choices

When typography doesn’t work effectively, the consequences ripple through your entire operation:

• Marketing campaigns that don’t convert as well as they should
• Frustrated visitors who can’t find what they’re looking for
• Missed opportunities for impulse purchases
• Brand perception that doesn’t match your positioning
• Reduced word-of-mouth recommendations

Many shopping centre managers don’t realise how much their typography choices impact their bottom line. It’s not just about looking good – it’s about performing better.

Making Typography Work for Your Centre

The good news? Typography is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your marketing performance. Unlike major renovations or expensive advertising campaigns, getting your fonts right is a strategic investment that pays dividends across every touchpoint.

At Toolbox Marketing, we work with shopping centre managers to develop typography systems that don’t just look professional—they work harder for your business. Whether you’re repositioning an existing centre or launching a new destination, the right typographic foundation can significantly amplify your marketing efforts.

Your typography choices are speaking to customers right now. The question is: are they saying what you want them to say?

Case Study: Bolton Market Place Typography Transformation

In September 2024, we began our collaboration with Market Place with a vision to breathe new life into the creative assets and deepen their connection to this iconic historic building. Typography was central to this transformation, but it needed to work alongside carefully considered visual elements.

Our approach introduced new design elements that bring the distinctive aspects of the property into the visual narrative. This includes featuring the arch of the building represented in the logo to hold imagery, and the introduction of subtle ornate patterning as a nod to the ironwork architecture of the building.

We developed a three-tier typographic system that perfectly balances this heritage story with contemporary functionality:

Verve Alternate serves as the bold headline font—designed to create strong first impressions that stop visitors in their tracks. This eye-catching typeface immediately communicates energy and confidence whilst complementing the architectural elements.

Peridot PE Variable Narrow handles subheadings with sleek, modern contrast that maintains readability even when scaled down for wayfinding applications or when placed within the distinctive arch framing.

Peridot PE Variable Medium ensures all body copy remains clean and professional across every touchpoint, from digital campaigns to in-centre signage.

To ensure consistency and strengthen brand recognition, we established a cohesive aesthetic across all assets for both digital and print. This unified typographic approach elevates the brand presence and delivers a powerful, recognisable message that works seamlessly with our carefully selected imagery style that perfectly aligns with the scheme, tenant mix and target audience.

The result? A typography system that works seamlessly across 36 different on-site applications—from car park entrance signs to toilet door displays—whilst maintaining brand consistency across seasonal marketing campaigns and both brand and tactical messaging. The fonts successfully bridge the gap between the centre’s historic architecture and its vibrant, modern retail offerings.

Ready to explore how typography could be working harder for your shopping centre? At Toolbox Marketing, we specialise in helping shopping destinations create cohesive, effective marketing strategies that drive real results. Get in touch to discuss your next campaign.

In retail, the small things often make the biggest difference. The layout, lighting, music and yes, the colours you surround your customers with. We usually think of colour as just a design element, but it’s way more than that. Colour affects mood, perception, and even how willing someone is to buy.

We got a real taste of this recently at The Friary Guildford, during our “Style Starts With Hue” event. It was a two-day colour analysis pop-up with local stylist Kerrie Ellis and it sold out fast. All 35 daily sessions were gone in within a week. People were clearly curious about how colour plays a role in their lives (and wardrobes).

Everyone who attended got a personal colour palette that highlighted which tones worked best for them, plus product suggestions from our retailers, and a QR code linking to styling ideas and seasonal trends.

It wasn’t just about “what looks good.” It was about giving people the tools to make better shopping decisions, ones that feel more them. We saw people leave feeling confident, excited, and, honestly, a little empowered.

And from a retail perspective? We noticed more browsing, more sharing, and more people exploring stores they hadn’t planned to visit. That’s the kind of engagement every centre wants.

Colours and Emotions: A Quick Guide

Here’s how some common colours tend to influence how people feel and act in retail:

• Red: Bold, urgent, energetic. Great for sales, less so for spas.
• Blue: Trustworthy and calm. Think banks, tech brands, or skincare aisles.
• Yellow: Bright, happy, a bit loud. Can be fun, or overwhelming.
• Green: Natural and peaceful. Works well for wellness, organic, or eco-based brands.
• Orange: Warm, friendly, full of life. Not for every brand, but great when it fits.
• Purple: Fancy, creative, a touch mysterious. Often used in luxury or beauty.
• Black: Clean, sleek, powerful. Think high-end or minimalist.
• White: Fresh, simple, and honest. Makes products pop — or rooms feel sparse.

How Colour Shapes Customer Behaviour

Influencing Mood

Warm tones like red, orange, and yellow can energise a space, which can be great for fast decision-making or sales zones. Cooler tones – blues and greens – slow things down, often encouraging shoppers to relax, browse, and consider.

Shaping Perceptions

The colours you use in signage, branding, or packaging say a lot about your business. They help signal whether your brand is playful, premium, eco-conscious, or reliable.

Directing Attention

Want to highlight a deal or a new arrival? Bright or contrasting colours can draw the eye exactly where you want it, guiding foot traffic and boosting engagement.

Don’t Forget Cultural Nuance

While colour psychology provides useful general insights, it’s not one-size-fits-all. Different cultures associate colours with different meanings. For example, white is often seen as pure in Western contexts, but it can represent mourning in some Eastern traditions. For retailers with a global reach, being culturally aware is just as important as being colour-savvy.

Quick Tips for Using Colour in Retail

• Be intentional. Choose colours that reflect your brand’s personality and evoke the feelings you want to inspire.
• Test and tweak. Try different combinations in digital ads, signage, or displays, and watch how customers respond.
• Find the balance. Too many bold colours can be overwhelming. Use neutrals to create breathing room.
• Think holistically. Lighting, textures, and surrounding colours all influence how a hue is perceived.
• Get personal. Empower customers with tools or experiences (like styling sessions) to help them understand colour on a deeper level.

Colour in retail isn’t just decoration – it’s a strategy. Used well, it has the power to shape the shopping experience, boost brand loyalty, and drive sales. As we saw at our recent event, when we give shoppers the knowledge and confidence to embrace the colours that work for them, we do more than sell – we build community, spark joy, and turn everyday retail into something memorable.

The Power of Data-Driven Decision-Making

Elle’s key takeaway was that businesses that thrive are those that have embraced change and use consumer insights to build resilience and efficiency. Data isn’t just a tool it’s the foundation for making smarter, more strategic decisions. CACI highlighted how brands can harness their extensive consumer behaviour insights to drive success in today’s competitive retail landscape.

Understanding the Next-Gen Consumer

Retailers must recognise that shopping habits vary significantly across generations.

Gen Z Influence: By 2029, Gen Z’s spending power is projected to reach $4.9 trillion. Currently, 75% of them spend over three hours a day on social media, making digital engagement a non-negotiable strategy.
Millennial Shopping Trends: 70% of millennials find online shopping more convenient, and 74% will switch brands for better ease and convenience. If retailers fail to optimise their digital experience, they risk losing this audience.
Boomer Preferences: Only 31% of boomers prefer online shopping, which means brands need a multi-channel approach to ensure they don’t alienate parts of their audience.

The Rise of Retail Parks & Convenience Shopping

Shopping behaviours are shifting in favour of convenience. Retail parks are seeing increased popularity as they offer a “one-stop shop” experience. CACI data indicates that consumers who shop on the high street also visit retail parks, but there’s a segment of retail park shoppers who don’t shop elsewhere – meaning brands need tailored strategies to capture both groups.

Winning Strategies from Industry Leaders

Marks & Spencer (M&S): This heritage brand continues to grow by innovating its strategies using data insights:

• Revitalising in-store experiences
• Expanding click-and-collect services
• Partnering with designer brands and popular influencers
• Embracing a diversified digital presence—including individual store-led TikTok content

Five Guys: By utilising CACI’s predictive models, Five Guys has successfully expanded into international markets, choosing optimal locations with data-driven precision while staying true to its brand identity.

Emerging Retail & Consumer Trends

1. Beauty

Beauty is thriving, driven by influencer culture and the demand for premium products. With department store closures, multi-brand beauty retailers like Sephora and Space NK are filling the gap. The “lipstick effect” continues to fuel spending, as consumers seek small, luxury indulgences in a cost-of-living crisis.

2. Footwear

Sneaker culture and 2000s-inspired footwear trends are keeping the shoe sector strong. Retailers offering a variety of brands under one roof are seeing significant success.

3. Social Wellbeing & Fitness Culture

Consumers are investing in their health, leading to:

• Growth in protein bars, supplements, and fitness-tracking devices
• Gorpcore and athleisurewear as fashion
• Increased participation in community-based activities like running clubs
• Partnerships between fitness brands and retailers (e.g., Chipotle x Strava)

Holland & Barrett is a standout performer in this space, experiencing a 31% increase in stores as younger consumers prioritise wellness. They are currently the top performers across health and beauty.

4. Digital & AI-Driven Engagement

Brands are integrating AI into their strategies to enhance convenience and personalisation:

• Chatbots and AI-powered customer service
• AI-driven trend predictions and inventory management
• Interactive digital experiences (e.g., British Land’s Minecraft activation at Canada Water)

Interestingly, 48% of millennials are comfortable with AI, while only 23% of boomers share the sentiment. Retailers must ensure AI implementation aligns with the expectations of different demographics.

The Future of Retail: Creating Social Hubs

Retail spaces are not just for shopping; they are becoming community hubs. With Gen Z spending 1,000 more hours in solitude than previous generations, there is an opportunity for brands to transform stores into social spaces, hosting events and activities that drive engagement.

As AI takes over mundane tasks, retailers must strategically capitalise on this freed-up time to enhance in-person experiences and incentivise footfall.

Elle’s Final Thoughts

Adaptation, innovation, and customer-first strategies are the keys to long-term retail success. By using data, embracing digital transformation, and creating engaging in-store experiences, brands can position themselves for sustained growth. CACI’s insights make one thing clear: The future belongs to those who evolve.

*Statistics quoted are from discussions at the conference

Together, they explored how strategic partnerships are redefining the future of retail destinations – creating a bridge between emerging brands and high street sustainability. Their mission? To develop a thriving ecosystem that goes beyond traditional business models, unlocking new opportunities for independent retailers.

With rising vacancy rates across high streets, empty storefronts are often seen as signs of decline. However, a new wave of collaboration is reshaping these spaces into hubs of innovation, community engagement, and sustainable growth.

Ben and the panel delved into key strategies and insights, including:

Why Independent Brands Matter

Kicking off the conversation, Alex Schlagman from Save The High Street emphasised the vital role independent brands play in shaping the future of retail. Small businesses bring diversity, authenticity, and a unique shopping experience to the high street. However, growing a business in a competitive environment is no easy feat. Many entrepreneurs struggle with scaling due to financial constraints, lack of industry knowledge, and limited access to strategic guidance.

Through initiatives such as SaveTheHighStreet.org and HelloThriver.com independent brands are receiving the tools and support they need to scale up successfully. By working with industry experts, start-ups gain insights into marketing, merchandising, e-commerce, HR, and financial management—elements crucial for long-term success.

Building Stronger Relationships Between Independents & Landlords

Paul Clifford from Flourish brought his extensive experience to the discussion, highlighting the importance of strengthening relationships between independent businesses and landlords. Rather than relying solely on traditional leasing models, he emphasised the need for more flexible, supportive approaches, including:

• Turnover rents: Allowing businesses to pay rent based on their revenue rather than fixed costs.
• Incubator spaces: Providing reduced-rent spaces for emerging brands to test their concepts.
• Strategic placement: Ensuring independent brands are positioned in locations where they can thrive.

This shift in mindset transforms landlords from mere property managers to active stakeholders in the success of their tenants.

The Accelerator Partnership: A Blueprint for Success

The partnership between Flourish, Save The Highstreet, Toolbox Marketing, and Vfour serves as a compelling example of how collaboration can drive change. By offering expert guidance at every stage of business development, these organisations are supporting Vfour, an urban streetwear brand, to move beyond infrequent pop-up shops and into a thriving retail presence.

Vfour’s founder, Romiluyi ‘Romy Romes’ Abiodun, highlighted how essential this support has been in navigating the complexities of growing a brand. With strategic input across multiple business functions, Vfour is evolving into a platform that not only sells apparel but also engages urban youth audiences in a meaningful way.

More Than Just Retail: The Role of Activation & Community Engagement

Vfour’s expansion strategy includes partnering with venue spaces to create immersive retail experiences. By blending commerce with community, artistry, and inclusion, these activations do more than just fill empty spaces – they bring high streets to life. Success leaves clues, with both Hoodrich and Cortiez starting from similar origins to Vfour, and using successful collaborations and unique marketing tactics to carve out a space of their own in the competitive retail landscape, to become the well-renowned urban fashion brands they are today.

A 4-Step Guide to Innovative Partnerships

Together the partnership has developed a 4-step guide for landlords, investors, and retail professionals looking to replicate their successful model and secure the future of our high streets:

1. Stay familiar with the high street landscape – Understanding local demographics and business opportunities can unlock new collaboration prospects.
2. Celebrate the potential of start-ups – Supporting emerging businesses can create long-term value for retail spaces.
3. Be open to partnerships – Making retail spaces accessible to start-ups adds a unique edge to commercial destinations.
4. Develop an internal marketing strategy for pop-up activations – A structured approach to promoting and supporting independent businesses can drive sustained success.

A Call to Action: The Future of Retail Lies in Collaboration

The panellists emphasised that securing the future of our high streets is a shared responsibility. Industry leaders, landlords, and marketing experts must come together to create a sustainable ecosystem where start-ups can flourish.

As the discussion wrapped up, the message was clear: with the right partnerships, strategic support, and innovative thinking, vacant spaces can become thriving hubs of commerce and community engagement andpPop-up activations can become footfall-driving machines.

They closed the panel on a positive note “The future of retail is in our hands – let’s build it together.”

Those inspired by this approach, they can reach out to any of the panel members: 

• Ben Hammond Toolbox Marketing
• Paul Clifford Flourish
• Romiluyi ‘Romy Romes’ Abiodun Vfour
• Alex Schlagman Save The High Street

Want to read more valuable insights from Retail Destination Live? Check out our key takeaways from the day

The retail landscape continues to evolve rapidly, shaped by economic pressures, technological advancements, and shifting consumer behaviours. From the rise of immersive leisure to advancements in AI-driven data analytics, here are the key insights from the conference.

Shopping Centres Revisited: A Changing Landscape

Online shopping continues to reshape the retail sector, with sales predicted to reach 35% of total retail by 2040. Despite this, shopping centres are still attracting significant investment, with £1.5 billion invested in the second half of 2024 and £2.5 billion projected for 2025 –  the highest level since 2017.

However, shopping centres are not without their challenges. A combination of online retail growth, the lingering effects of COVID-19, geopolitical tensions, and the cost of living crisis has increased pressure on physical retail. With vacancy rates sitting at 17.7% for shopping centres, compared to 14% for high streets and just 6.8% for retail parks, the need for reinvention is evident.  Steve Norris from Lambert Smith Hampton described the mantra “Replace > Reinvent > Revitalise” and how it is guiding efforts to reshape retail spaces, as exemplified by the redevelopment of Castlegate shopping centre in Stockton-on-Tees.

ESG and the Future of Real Estate

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors are increasingly critical for retail destinations. Climate change and inadequate climate adaptation pose serious threats to real estate investment. With sustainability now a key focus, the industry must prioritise eco-friendly practices and resilient infrastructure to mitigate future risks.

Economic Overview: Balancing Costs and Growth

Despite economic headwinds, the UK GDP is forecast to grow by 1.5% in 2025. Rising minimum wages will impact operational costs, yet they may also stimulate consumer spending. Occupier costs –  driven by wages, energy prices, and overheads – continue to challenge retail operators, but strategic adaptations could help balance these financial pressures.

Immersive Leisure: A New Era of Retail Experience

Tom Whittington, Director of Commercial Research at Savills discussed one of the most exciting trends reshaping shopping centres -the rise of immersive leisure experiences.  He talked about the rise of competitive socialising –  such as urban golf and bowling, and how “eatertainment” is thriving. Over the past five years:

• Bowling has grown by 10%
• Urban golf has surged by 96%
• Combo-operators (venues blending multiple activities) have skyrocketed by 455%

Cities like Manchester have seen a 74% increase in food, beverage, and leisure units from 2014 to 2024, with three-quarters of that growth coming from repurposing existing spaces rather than new developments. 

Shopping centres are embracing this cultural shift, integrating experiential offerings to attract visitors beyond traditional retail. Let’s be honest – who doesn’t love an excuse to eat, drink, and throw an axe in the same venue?

Managing Emergencies in Retail Environments

Darren Pearce, Centre Director at Meadowhall discussed how security challenges are escalating, with violence and abuse up 50% and theft increasing by 25%. Economic pressures, including the cost-of-living crisis, have contributed to a staggering 50,000 security incidents daily. Retailers are deploying advanced solutions, such as live-streaming bodycams, which have been shown to de-escalate situations and improve incident response.

Essentially, the message is clear: “If you’re up to no good, be warned – Big Brother is watching, and he’s live-streaming.”

The Evolution and Future of Retail Destinations

A panel discussion talked about how retail destinations are redefining their unique selling propositions (USPs).  Alasdair McClimont, Customer Manager at The Crown Estate used examples of how they differentiate their locations – Regent Street emphasises global flagship stores, while Rushden Lakes integrates retail with wildlife conservation.

Key trends shaping the future of retail destinations were discussed included:

• Extended leisure hours: Shopping centres now cater to evening visitors, shifting from traditional retail schedules to accommodate entertainment-focused footfall. This brings with it it’s own issues such as anti-social behaviour and increased security costs.
• Data-driven decision-making: AI-powered dashboards enable faster analysis of consumer behaviour, offering insights into dwell times, heat mapping, and optimal advertising placement.
• Consumer profiling advancements: Moving surveys online has not only allowed us to profile a wider/larger audience than in person surveys, it has provided deeper insights into spending habits, improving retail strategies.
• Collaboration and data-sharing: Brands and landlords are working more closely than ever, using shared insights to enhance customer experiences.

Creating Safe Spaces for Women & Girls

One of the standout sessions at Retail Destination Live highlighted an often-overlooked issue – how the built environment impacts women’s safety and their willingness to engage with public and commercial spaces.  

Women are frequently left out of city planning, yet their experiences should be central to discussions about urban design and security. Gender-based violence is a societal issue that needs to be tackled at its root – through policy changes and thoughtful environmental design.

Despite official crime statistics often appearing low, underreporting is a significant issue. In one local project, 80% of 500 women surveyed said they didn’t feel safe in their local park. When women don’t feel safe, they change their behaviour, avoiding certain areas or even entire shopping destinations – something that has a direct commercial impact.

Key considerations for improving safety include:

• Lighting: Dark, isolated areas create a strong perception of danger. Thoughtful lighting design is key.
• Security balance: Women are often less likely to report incidents to male security staff, so having gender-balanced teams can make a difference.
• Incorporating lived experiences: Engaging with women in the early stages of planning ensures that real concerns are addressed rather than assumptions being made.
• Understanding a woman’s journey through a space: Safety isn’t just about one location but how a woman moves through an area.
• There’s no universal checklist for incorporating these principles, as every project is unique. However, real change requires commitment, and ensuring that women feel safe isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s essential for truly inclusive and successful retail destinations.

If this is a topic that is of interest to you can read more here where our Account Manager Katie Chapman reported on the Revo webinar held last year.  

Keynote: Scam-Proofing Your Life

The conference concluded with an eye-opening keynote on scams and fraud prevention from Alex Conran, co-host of the BBC Three show The Real Hustle. Attendees were warned of red flags to help identify a scam including misdirection, time pressure, and social compliance.

A striking example of social compliance was demonstrated when the speaker played a clip from The Real Hustle where he put on a hi-vis vest, stood in a car park, and told drivers he needed to park their cars –  many handed over their keys without question. This highlighted the risks of assuming authority without verification. Another example illustrated the “herd principle,” where individuals followed a few actors towards the wrong exit during a fire alarm, despite clear instructions. Key takeaways included:

• Call 159 if you suspect you’ve been hacked – this connects directly to your bank’s fraud department.
• No one is too smart to fall for a scam.
• Smart speakers and privacy: Many devices collect excessive data; if you only use a smart speaker for music, consider a traditional speaker instead. Otherwise, you might as well invite your Alexa to Christmas dinner – she already knows all your secrets.

Final Thoughts

Retail Destination Live 2025 underscored the ongoing transformation of retail spaces. As online sales grow, shopping centres must continue adapting by embracing immersive experiences, leveraging data-driven strategies, and addressing evolving security challenges. With investment in retail destinations on the rise, the future of physical retail lies in innovation, collaboration, and a deep understanding of consumer behaviour.

The bottom line? Shopping centres aren’t dead, they’re just getting a glow-up.

Photos courtesy of Retail Destination Live.

The big takeaway? Local government finance is in crisis, and without sustainable investment, our high streets will struggle to thrive. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom!  There were also inspiring conversations about innovative solutions and the future of placemaking.

Here are the key insights Ben & Lydia brought back from the conference:

1. The Crisis in Local Government Finance

The UK is facing a local government funding crisis that threatens the vitality of our communities. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK ranks an alarming 30th out of 38 countries in local government investment—making it the worst-performing G7 nation.

This chronic underfunding isn’t just a statistic; it has real consequences. Town centres, already struggling to recover from the economic shock of the pandemic, are being starved of the resources they need to adapt and grow. From crumbling infrastructure to cuts in essential services, local authorities are being forced to do more with less, leaving high streets deserted, public spaces neglected, and communities without the support they rely on.

Without urgent action, the gap between thriving and struggling towns will only widen. The question is: how much longer can we afford to ignore the warning signs?

2. Understanding High Street Investment Post-COVID

Dr. Steven Norris from Lambert Smith Hampton highlighted the ‘perfect storm’ of challenges currently facing high streets which includes:

• Interest Rates: 4.5%
• Inflation: 3%
• UK Gross Debt: £2,720bn (101% of GDP)
• Online Sales: 26% (compared to just 1% in 2000)
• High Street Vacancies: 14%
• Retail Park Vacancies: 9%
• Shopping Centre Vacancies: 18%

Even though billions have been set aside for high street recovery, a lot of that money still hasn’t reached local areas. The big challenge now is making sure it actually gets spent where it’s needed.

3. Public Toilets and Visitor Experience

One surprisingly big issue that came up at the conference? Public toilets – or rather, the lack of them. It might not seem like a game-changer, but not having enough accessible toilets can put off up to 25% of visitors from town centres, especially older people and families with young kids. A simple fix here could make a huge difference in getting more people out and about, boosting footfall in the process.

4. Town Centre Re-Purposing and Redevelopment

The conversation also touched on how town centres are shifting away from just being shopping destinations. More and more, we’re seeing them evolve into spaces that serve the whole community, with things like:

• Green spaces for people to relax and unwind
• Cultural hubs bringing arts and entertainment to the heart of town
• Educational facilities offering new learning opportunities
• Mental health services providing much-needed support
• Community workshops that bring people together

These changes show that town centres aren’t just about retail anymore – they’re becoming more dynamic, welcoming, and resilient places for everyone.

5. Case Study: Falmouth’s Public Space WiFi Initiative

Falmouth provides an inspiring example of innovation in town centre management. Acknowledging the town’s financial challenges, local businesses, the council, and the Business Improvement District (BID) collaborated to provide free public WiFi. This initiative proved highly effective in increasing footfall.

Falmouth also conducted in-depth studies of high street dynamics, tracking spend patterns, heat mapping, and dwell times to better understand and optimise their public spaces. Their approach emphasised ‘community as capital value’ and the importance of fostering ‘pride of place.’ 

Read more about the initiative here. 

Final Thoughts

The ATCM Place Management Conference underscored the urgent need for targeted investment and strategic redevelopment in UK town centres. While challenges remain, innovative approaches—like those seen in Falmouth—offer valuable lessons for other locations. The key takeaway? Community-driven, data-led initiatives are essential for creating sustainable and vibrant town centres in the years ahead. 

Ben said in his opinion the success of these initiatives will depend not just on strategy but on genuine collaboration – local authorities, businesses, and residents must all have a seat at the table. Without that, even the best plans risk falling short of their full potential.

Emily has been busy researching the key design trends shaping 2025, exploring how they can enhance business success and engage audiences in fresh and exciting ways. From conceptual and abstract design to creative AI and typography, her insights will help keep your designs ahead of the curve.

One key process in design is finding and understanding design trends and why they enhance business success. As designers, we ask ourselves every day whether our work will attract our target audience. So, we’ve created a list of 2025 design trends to reflect on and ensure our work stays fresh.

These trends help our designs remain fun, exciting, and eye-catching.

1. Conceptual & Abstract Design

This trend tends to use vibrant and bold colours with layers and textures to keep things eye-catching and engaging. It is known for free-flowing artwork that feels spontaneous, incorporating organic shapes and playful asymmetry. It guides the viewer through animations for a fun and dynamic experience.

2. Storytelling Animation

Using smooth transitions between web design sections helps keep viewers engaged and focused. This includes buttons, icons, and controls that enhance usability and style, bringing pages to life as users scroll through a website. To create impact, motion is used to narrate a story, focusing on realistic and fluid movements. The animation should be clean and purposeful—engaging without being distracting. Interactive animations that respond to user actions create a more immersive experience.

3. Emotion-Powered Characters

Animation with expressive characters helps set the tone and mood while communicating a brand’s story. Making a character feel dynamic, lifelike, and human is important for forming an emotional connection with the viewer. This effect is often achieved using both 2D and 3D animation. To make a character memorable and distinctive, bold and vibrant colours are frequently used. Additionally, characters with playful expressions and movements help guide users through tasks, encouraging an interactive experience.

4. New Naturalism

This trend incorporates earthy materials such as mossy greens, deep browns, terracotta, and wood to create authenticity and warmth. Natural elements are added to clean and uncluttered designs, while handcrafted visual elements and physical textures suggest organic qualities. The combination of minimalism and natural aesthetics results in a grounded and elegant look.

5. Retro Vibes Are Back!

This trend abandons bright neon colours in favour of muted tones. It also incorporates bold borders and frames, along with chunky sans-serif fonts, retro-inspired typography, and hand-drawn elements while maintaining readability. Pixel art and low-resolution visuals are making a comeback, blending flat retro designs with soft gradients and polished textures while using modern animation techniques.

6. Personalised Design

Cultural and linguistic personalisation fosters a deep connection with users by making designs feel intuitively tailored to them. Customisable colours, layouts, and real user data-driven content allow for personalised designs based on user actions and preferences. Websites and apps that adapt to match user behaviour enhance engagement and user satisfaction.

7. Minimal Aesthetics

Spacious designs create a clean and organised feel, allowing elements to breathe. Interactive elements and animations add life to the design without cluttering the interface. For example, smooth scrolling animations can enhance the user experience. Ensuring the user’s attention remains focused on what matters most is key. This is achieved by highlighting one or two main elements against an unobtrusive background, resulting in an elegant and visually sophisticated design.

8. Next-Level Data Visualisation

Applications with embedded data visualisation provide users with relevant and instant insights. Customisable dashboards, widgets, and charts allow for thematic and engaging designs that help communicate complex information more effectively. AI-driven data interpretation enables natural language queries while offering visual data responses in real-time. Additionally, subtle animations and transitions bring data to life, while pop-ups and alerts keep users informed with up-to-the-minute updates.

9. Creative AI Design

AI assists with repetitive tasks such as formatting, resizing, and designing multiple variations quickly. It also supports the creation of dynamic and smooth animations, making content adaptation easier and leaving designers with more time for creativity. Creative AI provides real-time feedback to improve design choices, learning from user interactions to enhance personalised experiences.

10. Creative Letter Typography

Typography plays a crucial role in web design, UI/UX, production design, and packaging. Unique typography adds an artistic and natural touch while ensuring readability. Inspired by traditional art forms and real-world objects, typography can make a distinct visual impact. To match the overall design aesthetic, animations can be used to bring typography to life, adding an engaging and dynamic element.

These top trends for 2025 highlight the exciting directions in which design is evolving. By embracing these innovations, businesses and designers can create compelling visuals that captivate audiences and drive engagement. Stay ahead of the curve by incorporating these trends into your design strategy!

As we step into 2025, the retail and leisure sectors are navigating a landscape that is both challenging and ripe with opportunity. Shaped by economic trends, changing consumer behaviours, and a shifting political environment, the year ahead promises dynamic transformations. Here’s a closer look at the key insights and what they mean for businesses moving forward.

Cash Reserves Exceed Expectations

Contrary to predictions made before the pandemic, UK consumers have more cash in the bank than anticipated. In 2019, forecasts suggested there would be £1.84 trillion in bank accounts by this point. However, the actual figure is £1.93 trillion — a staggering £90 billion more. This surplus can largely be attributed to global uncertainty over recent years, including the pandemic, political turbulence, and ongoing conflicts. When faced with uncertainty, consumers often tighten their spending habits, prioritising savings and delaying discretionary purchases.

For businesses, this means there’s untapped spending potential waiting to be unlocked. With the right strategies, particularly in leisure and dining, brands can capitalise on these heightened reserves by offering compelling experiences that inspire consumers to loosen their purse strings.

A Stable Tax Environment

One piece of good news for 2025: significant tax increases from the government are highly unlikely. This provides a level of stability for both businesses and consumers, allowing more confidence in financial planning and investment. For brands, this stability could encourage expansion plans or refurbishments without the looming fear of unexpected fiscal policy changes.

Leisure and Dining Thrive

The demand for food and beverage (F&B) reached a peak in November 2024, and this momentum is expected to carry forward. Consumer spend on dining out is projected to outpace average spending growth across other categories, showcasing the enduring appeal of social dining experiences. From fine dining to street food markets, the F&B sector remains a cornerstone of consumer engagement.

Complementing this trend, the rise of big-box leisure operators is transforming vacant retail spaces into vibrant, high-footfall destinations. For instance, the new Flip Out at Lower Precinct in Coventry exemplifies how such operators breathe life into previously underutilised spaces. Their ability to attract diverse audiences makes them invaluable assets for shopping centres and retail parks.

Competitive Socialising: The New Anchor Tenants

Gone are the days when department stores were the sole anchors of retail schemes. Competitive socialising venues, such as bowling alleys, escape rooms, and interactive darts bars, are stepping into the spotlight. Acting as mini-anchors, these occupiers not only drive footfall but also encourage dwell time, benefiting surrounding businesses.

Health, Wellbeing, and Sports on the Rise

Health and wellbeing remain a priority for consumers, reflected in the expansion of gym chains like Pure Gym, which opened over 20 new locations in 2024 and plans to add 60+ more in 2025. The appetite for fitness is mirrored in the meteoric rise of paddle — the fastest-growing sport globally. With numerous new clubs set to launch, paddle continues to capture the imagination of health-conscious consumers.

These trends underscore a significant shift towards experiences that prioritise physical and mental wellbeing, presenting opportunities for businesses to align with this growing demand.

The Road Ahead

The economic environment of 2025 presents a wealth of opportunities for those ready to adapt and innovate. By leveraging the untapped spending power of consumers, embracing the rise of experiential retail and leisure, and aligning with health-conscious trends, businesses can position themselves to thrive in this evolving landscape.

The message is clear: success lies in rethinking traditional approaches and embracing the transformative power of change. Whether through creative use of retail spaces or tapping into the booming F&B and health markets, 2025 is poised to be a year of reinvention and growth.

If you’re looking to creatively activate your retail space and harness these trends, we’d love to help. Get in touch today to explore how we can collaborate and drive success in the year ahead.