The event, held at the newly opened Goldsmiths’ Centre in Clerkenwell, was addressed by three industry experts who gave their perspectives on Portas’s 28-point plan. Tracing the decline of the high street, Mike McGraw of Development Initiatives commended many of the proposed remedial actions, including Business Improvement Districts (BIDS) and business mentoring schemes; Chris Wade, chief executive of Action for Market Towns, viewed the report in the broader context of town centre regeneration, commending the ‘town centre first’ proposals; and, putting a practical slant on the implementation process, Jayant Raniga of Pure Jewels described the achievements of the Green Street Association, while calling particularly for a review of the ‘Use Class’ system relating to betting shops and other operators.
