Could the old fashion repair shop help with ghost high streets and cut our waste?
Repair and reuse shops offer a solution, providing a mix of affordability, increased foot traffic and social engagement.
By integrating these initiatives into town centres, communities can create a more sustainable, community-driven approach to shopping, benefiting both people and the environment.
That’s the answer touted by Dr. Adam Read from SUEZ recycling, who spoke on a recent Net Hero Podcast about our waste challenge.
He was discussing the issue on the Carbon Copy podcast, alongside Clare Seek from the charity Share (Portsmouth), on how we can revitalise town centres.
Ms Seek said: “We don’t need to run a standalone repair hub like Share (Portsmouth) anymore. We’re a happy victim of our own success. Young people and older people have retrained and accessing careers in repairing stuff. Our high street has been enlivened and a big part of that is with repair shops.”
With 7,500 retail stores closing across the UK in 2024, at a cost of nearly 56,000 jobs, the prospect of growth in repair and reuse businesses could be welcome news for the unemployed and the entrepreneurial.
Dr Read added: “I’d like to think that in the next ten years or so we can get 50% of households doing reuse and repair on a regular basis so that it’s the norm. I think you’re going to see a huge swell of interest.
“There’ll be far fewer items being discarded and shops like our Renew Hubs won’t just be at the recycling centre – they’ll be filling up empty spaces in the high street, providing people with skills and training opportunities and paying proper money for repair and upcycling work. This will be the economy of the future.”
They envision spaces where items are kept in use longer, helping local people save money, develop skills and strengthen their connection to their communities.
Together with their local authority partners, SUEZ already runs re-use shops across the UK, including The Renew Hub, the country’s largest re-use operation which aims to create value from waste to benefit Greater Manchester.
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