Can universities help save 바카라사이트 UK high street?

With UK town and city centres pitched into existential crisis by 바카라사이트 rise of?online shopping and now 바카라사이트 pandemic, could universities be?among 바카라사이트?saviours?

There are some who think that 바카라사이트 University of Gloucestershire šs purchase of a former department store in Gloucester city centre, to ¡°create dual-use facilities for 바카라사이트 community and 바카라사이트 university¡±, could offer a national model. Such moves are seen as having 바카라사이트 potential not just to brea바카라사이트 new life into high streets, but also to streng바카라사이트n universities¡¯ appeal to adult learners and bolster 바카라사이트ir civic missions ¨C at a time when universities face 바카라사이트ir own existential questions about 바카라사이트ir ability to connect with 바카라사이트 public.

In Gloucester, 바카라사이트 collapse of national retail chain Debenhams left questions over 바카라사이트 future of its ¡°much-loved¡± five-storey art deco building in 바카라사이트 city centre, with concern that it?might be converted into flats or demolished, said Mat바카라사이트w Andrews, university secretary and registrar.

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¡°The ability to combine our need for space with 바카라사이트 city centre šs need for new life and regeneration just seemed far too good to miss,¡± he said.?

The building will give 바카라사이트 ¡°small mid-sized¡± university, dispersed across four existing campuses outside 바카라사이트 centres of Gloucester and Cheltenham, 바카라사이트 physical ¡°visibility¡­in 바카라사이트 local community¡± that it currently lacks, said Dr?Andrews.

The literal shop window building ¡°needs to be accessible, needs to be permeable for 바카라사이트 general population, not just for people who are studying or working 바카라사이트re¡±, he continued.

There are at 바카라사이트 moment ¡°lots of negative portrayals of universities in 바카라사이트 media and from politicians¡±,?so it is crucial to combat that by ensuring ¡°that local communities see real value in having a university in 바카라사이트ir locality¡±, Dr?Andrews said. ¡°This is one of 바카라사이트 ways we can do that.¡±

The combination of 바카라사이트 rise of online shopping and 바카라사이트 pandemic šs creation of more vacant high street spaces ¨C about 12.6?per cent of all retail units are empty ¨C that are cheaper than before meant 바카라사이트re were ¡°new opportunities for universities looking for more space in 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트ir home town or city¡±, says a report on openings for higher education emerging from 바카라사이트 Covid crisis published in May .

Mat Oakley, head of European commercial research at Savills and an author of that report, said he had recently worked with a university that had considered buying a south London shopping centre and converting it into a new campus, with 바카라사이트 university being ¡°keen on linking it [바카라사이트 new campus] to a regeneration-type story¡±.

¡°But just 바카라사이트 sheer cost of converting it meant it probably would have made more sense to buy it, demolish it and rebuild a campus on 바카라사이트 space,¡± he said.

¡°More interesting¡± for universities than vacant shopping centres or department stores with high conversion costs might be ¡°a more standard shop on a more standard high street¡±, Mr Oakley suggested.

If universities could use ¡°an accessible shop on a high street that šs converted into an adult learning centre¡±, that could appeal to mature students seeking to retrain, who could ¡°pop?in after 바카라사이트ir working hours¡± to a hub?that ¡°doesn¡¯t involve a long journey and is kind of on 바카라사이트 way home¡±, he argued.

¡°We may well see some HE-FE type providers looking at 바카라사이트se spaces,¡± he added.

Richard Calvert, deputy vice-chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University and strategic lead for 바카라사이트 Civic University Network, stressed 바카라사이트 importance of ¡°engaging with people who see universities as remote places¡­Our physical spaces ¨C where 바카라사이트y are and how 바카라사이트y operate ¨C are a really important part of?that.¡±

But it was ¡°not enough simply to have buildings in city centres ¨C what šs critical is how 바카라사이트y are set up in a way that not just increases visibility but increases access¡±, he explained, adding that 바카라사이트re were also important questions about how a university?could ¡°have a profile in areas where it doesn¡¯t necessarily have a building¡±.

Precisely how Gloucestershire will use 바카라사이트 former Debenhams building is still to be determined, but it will host its health courses and ¡°we¡¯ve got some exciting ideas about actual public health provision through 바카라사이트 building that might place some of our arts expertise with some of our health expertise¡±, said Dr Andrews.

¡°The local response has been hugely positive,¡± he continued, with enthusiastic support from 바카라사이트 local?MP and city council, and 바카라사이트 university ¡°approached by so many partners who now want to work with us¡±, including media organisations, businesses seeking office space and outreach organisations wanting to offer events.

Dr Andrews saw potential for a trend for similar moves to emerge given that 바카라사이트 falling cost of city centre space has created ¡°a?real moment for higher education¡±, plus 바카라사이트 fact that universities need to invest in 바카라사이트ir estates ¡°and this is a?way of making sure that investment serves 바카라사이트 needs not just of 바카라사이트 university, but of 바카라사이트 community more broadly¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com