Our Team

John Magee

Managing partner.

20 years’ experience in retail and property management including roles at Tesco and Debenhams.

Managed shopping centres in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cheshire for national property managers Realm and Savills.

Specialist in business planning and commercial performance analysis, using knowledge and data to drive results.

Engaging with occupiers and other key stakeholders to drive performance by working collaboratively.

Working closely with local authorities and key partners such as chambers of trade and BIDs.

Previously a board director for Hull BID.

Daisy Whitehouse

MD of the Down at the Social Group.

Has experience launching and promoting retailers, brands and destinations across the UK.

Worked on international, national and regional marketing campaigns for some of the UK’s biggest brands.

Clients including Savills, Praxis, Cushman Wakefield, Merlin Entertainments, The Printworks alongside household brands like Monopoly, Vimo and Hyundai.

Connecting these brands with their audiences by finding out exactly what they want from the places they engage with every day.

Creating campaigns that include marketing, digital, PR and events.

Also a founding member of Right to Walk - a collective of women in Manchester who have come together in the hope that they can use their influence and skills to drive real change both on the streets and in the boardrooms of the city.

More than 17,500 retail stores closed in the UK in 2020 – the biggest decline in over a decade.  The concept of ‘one size fits all’ shopping areas with the same retail line up is now outdated.

Some consumers are hesitant to return to their High Streets following the pandemic – many are actively choosing to stay local and therefore the offer needs to be tailored to the customer.

The power of the dominant national retailers is waning - there is a new generation of more socially conscious consumers who are more interested in sustainability than fast fashion.

Customers have seen that online retail can be more convenient and therefore our physical places have to have elements of this alongside new, unique experiences.

The media is predicting the end of physical retail as we know it – rent, business rates and service charges are high and capital has been depleted during the pandemic.

People need new reasons to visit our places – local authorities, landlords and tenants are suffering and we believe that the solutions can be found by bringing these different stakeholders together.

Vacant retail spaces create opportunities for new and innovative solutions – from creative hubs to local independent retailers and essential community spaces.

By targeting local customers, places can benefit from increased footfall and dwell time, along with the environmental benefits that come with visitors travelling shorter distances.

Many national retailers will want to retain a physical presence and now is the time to consolidate our high streets for the post pandemic era and bring an increased focus on experiential shopping.

Places need to focus on what the internet can’t provide – socialising over food, drink and other leisure activities will continue to be a growing element of people choose to spend their spare time.

By creating new environments and experiences, we can generate positive press coverage that will create further footfall and encourage new operators to our revitalised places.

Those retailers that remain need to adapt to these emerging challenges.

We will bring together all of the key stakeholders to work together towards the achievement of our agreed goals.

We will do this in four stages: customer first, review and recommendations, delivering the plan, redefining the experience

Customer First

We will ensure that we have a deep understanding of the area and what your existing and target audiences are.

We will get to know your town and understand the challenges you would like us to address – by spending time with you, your team and the other key stakeholders in the area.

Using your feedback and information about your community, we can shape a brand for your town centre that appeals to the target audience.

Review and recommendations

Opportunities to create hybrid spaces that can be used throughout the day.

Improving convenience.

A focus on local.

Encouraging stakeholders to work more closely together.

Introducing flexible / pop up operators to fill space and drive footfall

Delivering the plan

Brainstorming and planning

Communicating the actions to existing stakeholders and the media

Social media support

Attracting new operators

Rent / lease negotiation

Redefining the experience

We will create a bespoke action plan for the area, offering practical, deliverable solutions to specific local challenges.

We can work alongside your existing team to deliver these actions.

All of this will be supported by a marketing and PR plan in order to ensure we make the most of the newly created opportunities.