2. Biz Network July/August 2021 37-64.qxp_Chamberlink 30/06/2021 11:39 Page 63
REGENERATING THE EAST MIDLANDS
FEATURE
Can technology save our high streets? By Mitchel Annable, founder of Love My Town Group
inTech, PropTech, InsurTech – why not TownTech? If any sector of our economy was in need of a shot in the arm (no pun intended) that can be provided by relevant, useful and reliable technology, then surely our high streets should be first in the queue. As we slowly venture back into our towns and cities, the painful impact of the pandemic is only too clear to see in the form of empty units that are ubiquitous across all high streets.
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The past 15 months have seen the acceleration of a process not rooted in the Covid-19 pandemic, but one that has seen our struggling high streets being reshaped and repurposed over a number of years firstly due to the growth of “out of town” shopping followed by the double whammy of 24-hour online retail. However, it is also apparent that the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology by our high streets’ businesses to communicate with and serve customers during the periods of lockdown. business network July/August 2021
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