How the UK's small towns are leading the way from 'me' to 'we' - changing from towns that focus on consumption to towns that focus on citizenship.

1. From ‘me’ towns to ‘we’ towns
After Portas, is there a recipe for successful centres?

2. What did the Portas review achieve?
‣ Positive 1: Interest. The future of
the high street has never been
higher on the public agenda.
‣ Positive 2: Action. Nearly 400 town
teams set up to revive English
town centres.
‣ Positive 3: Different thinking.
‘Once we create social capital in
the heart of our communities, the
economic capital will follow.’
2

3. And what did it fail to achieve?
‣ Negative 1: Analysis. The review
failed to consider the wider
factors behind towns’ decline.
‣ Negative 2: Confusion. The
review’s recommendations were a
menu of options, not a strategy.
‣ Negative 3: Inadequate response.
Small pots of government money
and assistance designed to
generate headlines, not change.
3

4. So where do we go from here?

5. From me to we: the might of the small
Can small towns be engines of a new urbanism?

6. or is this how it has to be?
‘When you’re growing up in a
small town
you know you’ll grow down in a
small town
there is only one good use for a
small town
you hate it and you know you’ll
have to leave...’
Lou Reed

7. The problem with ‘me’ towns
a.k.a. the death spiral of ‘retail-led regeneration’
‘I want to park ‘I want to ‘I want to buy ‘I’m a
my car outside protect my from big consumer, don’t
the shop I want margins and brands like expect me to
to visit’ income stream’ everyone else’ contribute’

8. Small towns with big hearts
How small (and not so small) places are demonstrating the
power of ‘we’

9. Totnes: the town that said no to Costa
‘If localism means communities have the right to decide what
happens in their towns, it’s time for planners to understand this
as well.’ ~ No to Costa campaign

10. Totally Locally: towns that say yes
‘If every adult in Calderdale spent just £5 per week extra in
local shops and businesses, it would mean an extra £40m a year
going into our local economy.’ ~ Chris Sands, Totally Locally

11. Todmorden: ‘If you eat, you’re in’
‘We’ve seen people who never thought they had a chance get a
handle on their own future’ ~ Pam Warhurst

12. Hebden Bridge: owned by the community
‘We feel we are exploring a new form of public ownership, one
which looks back to 19th century models of mutuality and
self-help as well as forward to 21st century models.’ ~ Peter Hirst

13. Wigan: pushing local loyalty further
‘WiganPlus is about backing Wigan. It does this by offering
rewards for supporting your local community and local
businesses.’

14. JFDI urbanism: Townstock, High St Camp
‘I was really impressed by #highstcamp today. Crowd sourcing
and collective activism at its very best. 10/10.’ @BeepTreat,
Bristol
‘Townstock: Really inspiring stories of people using parks, shops
and streets to create places people want to live in.’
@mariaadebowale, London

15. How can we make it happen?

16. “High streets and town
centres that are fit for the
21st century need to be
multifunctional social
centres, not simply
competitors for stretched
consumers.”
‘The 21st Century Agora’

17. A recipe for successful centres?
Four kinds of behaviour that enhance the uniqueness of places
Support the Act as citizens, Prioritise Become a
local and the not just as producers, not flaneur in your
independent shoppers just consumers own town

18. ‘It’s the economy, stupid’
Four steps towards putting towns back on their feet
Create easy Love your local Link the civic, Try to turn each
access space market, love community and ‘why?’ into a
for start-ups local traders commercial ‘why not?’

19. “The soul of the city - the strength
which makes it breathe, exist and
progress - resides in each one of
its citizens.”
Jaime Lerner, mayor of Curitiba, Brazil

20. thank you
more from me...
www.urbanpollinators.co.uk
my blog: Living with Rats
Twitter: @juliandobson