REIMAGINING the HIGH STREET

As consumers increasingly do their purchasing online and at out-of-town complexes, the traditional high street is changing. As it moves from product-focused retail to experience-based services, could 󹀼tness find a new home?

In a retail landscape transformed by online shopping and shifting consumer behaviours, the traditional high street is seeing an evolution from product-focused retail to experience-based services, increasingly featuring coffee shops and beauty salons, co-working spaces and community hubs. Forward-thinking wellbeing providers are strategically turning vacant retail spaces into accessible facilities that help revitalise the hight street and expand their market reach.

From shopping to experiences High street fitness is booming as empty shops get a second life. It’s a win-win situation for wellbeing providers who benefit from ready-made premises and councils who fill vacant units that plague town centres.

“The high street’s challenges have become our industry’s opportunity,” says Elliot Walker, Founder and CEO of The Massage Company. “Wellbeing opportunities in former retail spaces benefit from built-in footfall, excellent accessibility and the chance to integrate with the daily routines of potential customers.

“When we first launched The Massage Company in 2014, securing high street locations was extremely difficult - they simply weren’t available. Fast forward 10 years and the opportunities are there. As the largest massage provider in the UK, with 11 franchised locations, we want to position having a treatment as a regular wellbeing experience - not a one-off special treat but part of a wellbeing routine.

“To achieve this we must be convenient and accessible, and being on the high street is central to this. In Altrincham and High Wycombe we have town centre locations. Sutton Coldfield is located in a suburban retail area, and Putney is inside an urban shopping centre.”

When tech CEO and industry newcomer, Lindsay Ratcliffe, opened HeartSpace Yoga studio in Twickenham in Janaury, it was crucial the location was on the high street. “In an oversaturated market we had to position ourselves conveniently,” she explains. “Our studio is on the main road, one minute from the train station and right next door to Waitrose. Our members can pop in on the way to or from the shops, as well as after or before their commute to work.

“Being hyper-local also aligns with our sustainability goals and our customers’ own green values as it encourages more people to walk to our classes.”

Meeting the community where they are Similarly, when Horizon Leisure opened the first standalone wellbeing hub in a shopping centre in 2023, they wanted their community to pop in for a chat, a blood pressure test or health intervention on their way to the shops or meeting a friend for coffee.

Mike Lyons, CEO, Horizon Leisure explains: “As a community leisure trust, we have to provide wellness opportunities where our community actually are, and that may not be at the leisure centre.

“Our ‘high street’ approach provides a relaxed, inviting environment with comfy sofas and private spaces for consultations, where individuals can access guidance and exercise, supported by our expert wellness team and healthcare partners. From the outside the Hub looks like any other shop front, but advertises its services from large, eye-catching screens. It simply wouldn’t be as effective anywhere else.”

Be bold. Stop waiting for the next big retailer to swoop in and save the high street. It’s not happening

Enabling creativity

In Bristol’s Broadmead shopping centre, a former Debenhams store represents a bold reimagining of what high street spaces can offer in 2025 - Shredenhams, a not-for-profit skateboarding and community space.

Co-Founder of the social enterprise, Andre Seidel, explains: “It was this big, empty shell of a building that people had just given up on. I grew up skating in city centres and we used to get kicked out of places like this. So to be in a position to reclaim the space was a full circle moment.”

The success of Shredenhams lies in its departure from traditional retail thinking. Rather than focusing on transactions, the space prioritises experience and community building. Seidel says: “Success isn’t measured in transactions or footfall alone, it’s about the atmosphere, the energy and how people feel when they’re in the space. Traditional retail is about getting people in and out with bags in their hands. Shredenhams is about getting people to stay, connect and feel like they’re part of something. If someone finds their crew here or a parent tells us it’s the only place their teenager opens up, that’s a win. Of course we need to be commercially viable, that’s where our cafe and events programme come in. But they support our core mission, which is experience-driven and community-led.”

Shredenhams approach and central location attracts families, students and office workers who might never visit a traditional skatepark, making it more accessible to a broader demographic.

With plans to expand to other disused retail spaces Seidel says: “Not-for-profit organisations like ours bring huge social value. We animate dead spaces, reduce anti-social behaviour, bring people into the city centre, and give them a reason to stick around. But we need flexibility on leases, business rates and planning. “Be bold. Stop waiting for the next big retailer to swoop in and save the high street. It’s not happening. The future will be built by people doing creative, community-led work that doesn’t always fit into traditional business models. If you want innovation, you’ve got to make space for it literally and figuratively.”

High street meets leisure centre

In Greater Manchester, local business, MOST Bakery, has been chosen as the new food and beverage provider for Trafford Leisure’s move Altrincham, reopening following a £20 million redevelopment in August 2025. The partnership represents a fresh approach, bringing a beloved high street brand into the leisure centre environment.

Jo Cherrett, CEO of Trafford Leisure, explains: “It’s an important commercial decision, complementing our vision to inspire people to live longer, happier and healthier lives. MOST Bakery is already a firm favourite in Altrincham, where the husband-and-wife team create delicious artisan breads and pastries. Our plan is to redefine what food at a leisure centre can be.”

Our plan is to redefine what food at a leisure centre can be

MOST Bakery’s co-founder, Suze Townley, adds: “For us this represents a relatively risk-free expansion opportunity. The café is being fitted out by Trafford Leisure as part of the refurbishment, allowing us to extend our trusted brand and menu to a new audience without the typical setup costs and risks of opening a new location.” From boutique studios occupying former fashion outlets to community initiatives transforming empty stores into wellbeing destinations, the sector is demonstrating remarkable adaptability. These conversions can offer more favourable economics than purpose-built facilities, while simultaneously helping local communities address the growing concern of high street vacancies.