Retail, shops and shopping are certainly changing at a frenetic pace. If we look at the history of shopping and consumer spending, which has been around for many hundreds of years, the last 10 years or so has seen even greater changes than ever, mainly brought about by technology and the birth of on-line shopping.

Often landlords, retailers and businesses see on-line shopping as a threat to their existing business model. We understand that there has been a huge growth in on-line shopping and this will continue. We also believe that retail is changing along with everything else, but we still strongly believe in the future of retail, shopping and shops, albeit in perhaps a more consolidated form.

You only have to briefly examine the accounts of Hammerson Plc, one of the largest shopping centre owners in the world, with their market capitalisation well into billions of pounds and pre tax profits well into the hundreds of millions, to see that people do indeed still shop in traditional shops!

Plenty of retailers and landlords understand that on-line shopping is now a significant part of the mix, but that shopping is here to stay, many shoppers still prefer to touch and feel before they buy and certain retail propositions are just not that practical on-line, such as hairdressing, restaurants or trying on shoes and clothes for size.

We believe there will always be a place in the consumers heart for high street shopping and especially for local convenience stores.