Hello, my name's Mrs. Tomassi I hope you're doing well today.

I'm gonna be working with you on your Citizenship lesson.

So if you are all settled, if you've got everything you need and you're good to go, we'll get started.

Today's lesson title is "How have shopping habits transformed over time?" And this forms part of the unit on "How can the local economy support sustainability?" So hopefully by the end of the lesson today you'll be able to explain how consumer spending has changed over time and how local councils are regenerating the high street.

There are two keywords in today's lesson.

You'll see them in bold throughout, so if you ever need to refer back to them, you're a bit unsure of what they are, come back to them here and you'll find them.

We're gonna go through them together first, though.

So regeneration is when an area is improved by investing in buildings, transport, shops, and public spaces to make it better for people to live, work, and visit.

Gentrification is when an area becomes expensive because of new developments, causing original residents or businesses to be displaced as rents and prices go up.

As I said, you might not have heard them words before, so if you need to, just refer back to them here.

Two learning cycles today, we're gonna make a start on the first one, which is, "How has consumer spending changed?" So consumer spending in the UK has changed dramatically over the past 20 years.

What do we think, have you got any ideas? Most of it, actually, you might have got that one, is the rise of online shopping, especially through a few large companies.

Because if we're thinking the last 20 years, online shopping before that wasn't even a thing.

What it's done is it's made it easier for people to shop from home, which has led to a decline in people visiting the high streets.

Big high street brands have collapsed or closed many of these stores due to declining profits and the cost of both power and rent in running large shops.

There was something that happened which accentuated this.

Can you think of what that was? So COVID-19 lockdowns increased this because people couldn't visit physical stores, so they became more used to online retail.

And then that shift in consumer habits as it's reduced the demand for traditional retail spaces, and that can disadvantage the local economies in many towns and cities.

This means as well that things are changing, so the high street now is just not just about shopping, it's been replaced with different things like cafes, hair salons, residential units, maybe even kind of more innovative projects and ideas to replace this space that was just previously for shopping.

So check for understanding, what has been one of the most significant changes in consumer spending in the last 20 years? And two, how did the COVID-19 lockdowns increase this kind of spending? How did you get on? One of the most significant changes is the increased popularity of online shopping.

And then the public could not go to physical shops for a period of time so it got used to online retail.

Once restrictions lifted, many chose to continue to shop online, which has affected local economies with fewer people spending money on the high street.

Hopefully you managed to get them.

Now, in addition to the online shopping, many consumers are focused on more experiences.

What do you think this might be? Have you experienced any of these before? So this is things like entertainment, leisure and food outlets have increased, and also it's just changed the way local businesses work.

So sometimes they're now offering more unique personalised shopping or special eating experiences, things that people wouldn't be able to do elsewhere and would therefore go to them.

Like I said, can you think of any examples of these in your local high streets? I know if I think of one recently, a trail was created which you went around and followed and then that was used to set up some like pop-up dining experiences, so that was something that was completely different.

Did you have anything similar like that or have you got some other things? I'm sure there'll be some really cool experiences out there.

Independent stores that can offer something different can often be more successful than big brands that struggle to complete with online prices.

Obviously if you're thinking why, well, they're creating something that maybe can't be bought or recreated elsewhere.

However, these changes also mean there are fewer stable jobs in retail and this can affect local employment and local people's incomes.

In 2025, consumer spending was still strong, but it's directed in different ways than it was 20 years ago.

Fill in the missing words.

Big brands have struggled on the street due to the cost of power and.

COVID-19 lockdowns led to more people shopping.

Local businesses have had to what they offer in order to keep consumers coming back.

And consumer is still strong but in different ways.

So it was the high street, and that's due to cost of power and rent.

COVID-19 lockdowns led to more people shopping online, local businesses have had to adapt what they offer, and consumer spending is still strong but in different ways.

Well done if you managed to get all five of them.

Now, another key reason for change is technology.

Can you think how that might have changed? What's changed? Any ideas? So technology has made a massive difference, so actually if you were going to buy something, before you even go to the shop, what have you probably done? Have you got your phone out and you've looked up and you've gone, "Ah, oh, okay, yep, let me see where I can buy that, what can I do? Or actually I could just order it straight away right now." So it's made it quicker and easier for people.

Many consumers are also more aware of being ethical and environmental concerns, so they might choose to support local businesses and buy more sustainably.

Now this change in attitude means that the high street is competing not just with online stores, but also with new types of spending and different ways of doing things.

So councils and local governments have had to rethink how high streets are designed to attract this new type of consumer.

Now they rely on where people choose to spend their money.

Shopping online can prevent the money from staying within the local community.

And if nobody's in that local community buying things, then what's gonna happen? There's gonna be empty shops, there's gonna be less money for the local services, and decline in the community identity.

And then it's a bit of a downhill spiral because then if there's still, you know, if there's still no one in the shops, if there's still nothing going on, it creates that cycle.

Whereas spending with the local businesses, whether online or in person, helps to keep that money circulating within the local economy and then you've got the opposite spiral, so this is then gonna go on an upward spiral 'cause there's gonna be more jobs, more local businesses thriving, the community identity improves, et cetera.

One way that this is done through things such as regeneration projects.

Now what this is trying to do is reinvest in the markets, public art, pedestrian zones, more welcome shopping spaces, and they're often led by the local council because they're trying to promote those local economies and improving them.

It's this idea of redeveloping, improving the urban areas, investing into the spaces to boost that economic growth and community wellbeing.

Have you seen any? Maybe have you had any areas around you that have had to be, you know, that have been on a decline and then they've been pumped into and there's new ideas coming out of them? Now again, another thing that supports this is this idea of community cohesion.

You're creating these shared spaces that people can use and maybe there might be community centres, hubs to bring people together and create that community identity.

And by doing that, that's gonna promote local pride and engagement from the residents.

And if the residents are engaging in the local community, what's gonna happen? Can you think about it? Yep, it's gonna create that spiral up again.

Now there is a downside to this, and that is the risk of gentrification.

So when you have regeneration, you're thinking great, you've built it all up.

Now what comes with that buildup is probably now actually people see it as quite a popular area, so more people wanna come there.

Now because of that and there's a high demand, it's gonna drive up the rent prices, and what that can happen to the people that were originally in the community is unfortunately sometimes then they can start to be pushed out because you can't afford to be in that area anymore.

Again, it's difficult 'cause it's gonna create more tension and it's gonna reduce community cohesion 'cause you're gonna have the people that are originally there and the people that are driving the area up who might feel at tension with each other.

So it's really difficult because with the local economies, yes, you can create that spiral, but there could still be negative effects with it.

Now gentrification, so we saw that in the key term earlier, it's this process where rising property prices, new developments in the areas attract people on higher incomes, which can lead to the displacement of existing residents and businesses and it can result in changes to the neighborhood's character and social dynamics.

Check for understanding.

What is a negative effect of online shopping on the local economy? A, it creates more local jobs.

B, it makes the high street more exciting.

C, it takes money away from local businesses.

Or D, it improves the income of online retailers.

It does take money away from local businesses.

Now that moves us onto the first task for today.

Imagine your town in the year 2035.

The high street has been completely regenerated to meet new consumer habits.

Write a short paragraph describing what it would look like.

You must include at least two shops or services that reflect modern spending habits, one way the high street includes regeneration, and one risk of gentrification, and how your future high street avoids harming community identity.

Take some time with this one 'cause you're gonna need to think about some ideas and what you're gonna put into it.

So when you're ready, if you unpause, and then we can go through some feedback and see what you come up with.

Good luck.

So how did you get on? Now you could have said something like this, but obviously it's so broad and there's so many different ideas that I'm sure if you've got something different and as long as you've included those different ideas, then it will be a brilliant answer anyway.

If you're looking to see if you're along the right lines, we can have a look at one together.

So your answer could look like this.

"In my 2035 high street, there's a local food market that supports independent traders and a tech repair hub where people fix devices instead of buying new ones.

The council's invested in green spaces and free Wi-Fi to attract families and young people.

This is part of their regeneration plan.

Rents are kept low for local business owners to stop gentrification displacing people.

The streets celebrate local culture with a community mural and weekend street performances.

It's modern but still feels like home." Alternatively, your answer might look like this.

So, "In 2035 high street, there is a click-and-collect hub where people can pick up items they've ordered online from small local businesses, not just big brands.

There's also a shared space for pop-up shops where new startups and artists can sell things temporarily.

This helps the economy without driving up the prices.

The council's regeneration plan focused on creating spaces for the community like a coworking cafe and a youth centre.

To avoid gentrification, they protected family-owned shops with rent support, so the street's stayed true to the local identity and has a cohesive community." Hopefully you had some fun with that task and you enjoyed it and now we're gonna be able to move on to our second learning cycle.

So, "How are councils regenerating the high street?" So we're gonna find out a bit more about this regeneration programme in this learning cycle.

So across the UK we've recognised already that many of the high streets have been in decline due to online shopping and changing consumer habits.

And some of this is down to the long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

So fewer people visiting town centres, local councils are under pressure to regenerate these areas to try and boost back the local economy.

Now they might work alongside organisations, developers and businesses to bring life to these public spaces, and with it they're looking to improve the buildings, maybe the transport links.

Can you think why it might be good for that? So that we can bring more people in.

And to also have a mix of developments of what's on offer.

Again, why is that good? You're having that wide variety of choice and more people will be attracted to want to come.

So this does bring challenges because you are trying to balance economic growth and preserving the identity.

So that idea we spoke about earlier, this issue of gentrification, is part of the conversation because you're trying not to lose the identity of the local area, but at the same time you wanna grow it, so it's how do you get that balance right? A good example of high street regeneration is the Brixton Arches project in South London.

So the arches are located under the railway bridge near Brixton Station and it's home to over 30 small independent businesses.

Many of them have operated there for decades.

In 2015, Network Rail, with the support of Lambeth Council, began a 1-billion-pound regeneration scheme across the UK, including Brixton.

Now the plan involved refurbishing the railway arches, improving safety, and creating a more modern retail experience.

Part of this, the businesses were temporarily relocated with the understanding they could return, but only if they accepted significantly higher rents.

So the aim was regeneration, but many of the local shop owners viewed it as gentrification because it was displacing the long-term traders in favour of higher income tenants.

What do you think about this? Is this regeneration or is it gentrification? With that we're gonna go on for a check for understanding.

So which of these reasons were given for the Brixton Arches regeneration? A, to replace local shops with national chains.

B, improve the safety and conditions of the arches.

C, to modernise the retail space and experience.

D, to close down small businesses permanently.

It was B and C.

The generation programme sparked strong community opposition because of this fear of gentrification, and arguing that rising rents and changes to the area would displace the longstanding businesses.

There's a lot of iconic takeaways, independent Afro-Caribbean hairdressers, people that were integral to the community's identity and heritage.

And as well as that, that have been there for such a long time and helped to form that community, and then there's a fear that they are being pushed out.

Alison says here, "I think the regeneration project could really help improve the area.

The new shops, better safety, and cleaner spaces could attract more people and boost the local economy.

We need a modern, thriving high street to keep up with the times." Clive says, "I've been here for decades, I'm being forced out because I can't afford the new rent.

The project is pushing out the very businesses that make this area unique.

It's not regeneration, it's gentrification.

It's killing our community." So there were concerns that new businesses moving in might cater more to the higher income newcomers than to the local residents, which again would create social division.

Campaign groups like Save Brixton Arches advocated for affordable rents and a more community-focused approach to regeneration.

And this highlights how regeneration, if not inclusive of local input, can impact the community cohesion and identity.

So any time that regeneration projects are being thought of, then they should be inclusive of local input as well.

What this does is shows an example of how regeneration and gentrification can be connected.

So although the ideas are quite opposite, they could lead to one another.

While improving businesses and bringing in new businesses can help the high street, if it causes the local people that are already there to be pushed out, then it can disrupt the community and then the local economy in the long run.

For regeneration to work, it needs to consider the cultural needs and identity of the people who live there.

So councils should consider inclusive regeneration, making sure businesses include affordable housing, protect local businesses, create spaces for community use.

What do you think about these ideas? Is this something that would help, say, in the example of the Brixton Arches? If this was thought of, would you get people saying that it looked like gentrification? So some councils in 24-25 have started offering rent caps, grants for independent traders, and partnership projects with residents.

It shows a shift of how local governments approach high street reform.

So to give you an example, the UK government introduced High Street Rental Auctions in 2024, which gave businesses and community groups a right to rent long-neglected town centre commercial properties to try and boost the local economy there.

A check for understanding now.

Match the regeneration approach on the left with the correct impact or description on the right.

So you've got one, only allow big brands to rent shops.

Two, raise all rents equally.

Three, work with local people and support independents.

Four, build only luxury flats above shops.

A, unfair to small businesses, leads to closures.

B, can cause gentrification and push people out.

C, local shops may be forced out.

And D, inclusive and helps preserve community identity.

So one goes to C.

Raise rents equally 'cause it's unfair to small businesses and leads to closures.

Three, working with local people is inclusive and helps preserve community identity.

Building only luxury flats can cause gentrification and push locals out.

So, in 2025, more councils are focused on community first regeneration.

So the Plan for Neighbourhoods announced in March 2025 provides 1.

5 billion to invest in 75 areas over the next decade.

Now this includes involving local traders in the planning, protecting affordable spaces, and making change benefits for everyone.

For regeneration to be truly successful, the councils need to balance this idea of economic investment with social justice.

So yes, the town centres are gonna be modernised, but there's still room for the long-term residents and it can still be home.

Check for understanding.

Each sentence has one mistake.

Fix the mistakes so the sentences are correct.

One, gentrification always benefits the local community.

Two, the Brixton Arches shops were given lower rents after the refurbishments.

Three, regeneration means ignoring the opinions of residents.

So gentrification can harm the local community by increasing rents and reducing diversity.

The Brixton Arches shops were asked to pay higher rents after refurbishments.

And regeneration should include the opinions of residents to be successful.

Now this leads us onto the final task for today.

So imagine your part of a local youth council.

Your town has a regeneration budget to transform the high street.

Write a short pitch to your council, including what kind of businesses or services you'd include, how you'd avoid the negative effects of gentrification, and one way to protect community identity.

Take some time to think about your response, and then when you're ready, unpause and we'll go through the feedback.

So how did you get on? Now again, it's quite broad and there could be so many different answers that could be correct here, so this is just to give you a suggestion and then you can compare it to how you got on.

So, "As part of our regeneration plan, I suggest creating affordable units for local food stores, artists and cultural shops that reflect our town's identity.

We should avoid a situation where long-time traders end up pushed out due to high rent.

To prevent gentrification, we can introduce rent caps and offer grants to independent businesses that have been part of the community for years.

Including community voices from the start will make regeneration more inclusive.

We should also preserve spaces for cultural events, like outdoor music or art displays, so regeneration strengthens, not erases, local identity.

This way, the high street can grow while still belonging to the people who built it." Now, if you had some different ideas, you could have said, "Our high streets need regeneration that puts the community first.

I recommend setting up a shared business hub for local startups where rent is affordable through council support.

In Brixton Arches, regeneration led to gentrification because small longstanding businesses could not afford the new rents after refurbishment.

We must learn from this and make sure independent traders are not pushed out.

By holding regular community markets and protecting cultural spaces, we can keep the area welcoming and diverse.

Regeneration should be about improving the high street with the people who already live there, not replacing them." So hopefully that's given you some different ideas that you could have included in your pitch, which will lead us on to the second part of the task.

Regeneration will always result in gentrification.

How far do you agree with this statement? Mark an X on the arrow below and explain your answer.

Again, take some time, have some thought, think about your response and when you're ready, unpause.

So what did you think? Now you could have, if you led towards strongly agreeing, said that "regeneration often brings new buildings, more reliable transport and better shops, which makes areas more appealing to others on higher income.

This can push up rent and house prices.

As a result, original residents and small businesses may be forced to leave.

In examples like Brixton Arches, regenerations led to gentrification and the loss of community character." Now, however, you could have led towards disagreeing, and if that was the case, you could have said something like, "Regeneration does not always lead to gentrification.

It depends on how it's done.

If local councils focus on affordable housing, protecting small businesses and listening to the community, it can improve an area without pushing people out.

Regeneration can be used to benefit everyone, not just newcomers on higher incomes." Now you might have been in the middle and then you could have said, "I think it depends.

In some cases, it does lead to gentrification, because improvements attract people on higher incomes and raise prices, which can push out local residents and small businesses.

However, not all regeneration ends this way.

If it's carefully planned to include affordable housing, protect local shops and involve the community, it can improve an area without causing gentrification.

So the result depends on the choices made during the regeneration process." So you've seen lots of different ideas there.

Now hopefully that's helped you to compare it to your response and where you've decided to lie on this issue.

So that brings us to the end of the lesson today and we're just gonna go through a quick summary.

So shopping habits in the UK have changed due to the rise of online retailers, the impact of COVID-19, and a shift towards spending on experiences over physical goods.

This has caused decline in the traditional high street with many big brands closing stores and the local economies suffering.

To tackle this, local councils are using regeneration to improve town centres by modernising spaces and supporting independent businesses.

However, without community involvement, regeneration can lead to gentrification where rising rents and changes push out longstanding residents.

The case study of Brixton Arches shows the importance of balancing investment with protecting local identity and ensuring regeneration is fair and inclusive.

And that brings us to the end, so hopefully there's a lot of thought there for you to think about how habits have changed over time.

Thank you for working with me and enjoy the rest of your day.