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High Street of the Future – what could it look like?

Thursday 26 May and Thursday 9 June
6:00pm to 7.30pm
Free. Ticketed.
Location: The old Gap shop on Exeter High Street

Join us for two engaging and insightful evenings exploring what our community will need in the High Street of the future.

How should we respond to, and take advantage of, major changes in technology, social expectations and the environment? How do we balance Exeter’s needs as a thriving, growing city with the pre-existing heritage we are so proud of? What place does culture have on the High Street? What can we learn from other cities?

Considering inclusivity, environmental concerns, accessibility, enjoyment and health alongside a growing city’s needs, these events will offer an opportunity for knowledge sharing, conversation and debate.

May 26th Speakers

Karime Hassan, Chief Executive & Growth Director, ECC
Karime will explain the work being done to realise a more healthy, sustainable and exclusive city, with particular emphasis of the work of Exeter City Futures in supporting the Net Zero Plan. He will cover the Exeter 2040 Vision, the work of the Exeter Place Board and the spirit of collaboration and innovation among the city’s institutions.

Frazer Osment, Director, LDA Design
Frazer will talk about the Liveable Exeter vision and how this is intended to ensure Exeter develops as a greener, low carbon and equitable place. He will describe the social, environmental and economic challenges faced by many cities and urban areas in the UK and set out the sorts of changes that will be necessary to ensure that Exeter continues to be a successful and fantastic place to live in the future.

Mark Davy, Founder and CEO, Future City
Mark will discuss City of Culture and how the public and private sectors might work together, giving examples, of Future City’s work around the world.

Ann Hunter, Business Improvement District Manager, InExeter
Ann will highlight the importance of businesses working together to create a destination high-street and In Exeter’s involvement in achieving that for the city.

9th June Speaker

Ian Collinson – Director of City Development, ECC
Ian will be talking about how being a ‘Garden City’ can help shape the future of Exeter’s city centre. Exeter was awarded garden city status in 2019, in recognition of its ambitious plan to build 12,000 homes across the city, by 2040. ‘Liveable Exeter’ as it is known, is about more than business as usual housing and includes reimagining and repurposing vacant and underused land and buildings in the high street to deliver the ingredients for successful urban living. Ian will discuss how part of Liveable is about providing a vibrant mix of uses, which will add vitality to the high street along with walkable and wheel able streets and high quality public spaces with room for nature and trees.

Des Fitzgerald, Sociologist of Science and Medicine, Exeter University
Des will present his views on the idea of green and healthy cities. He will look at how ideas of a green city often come from quite a reactionary place.

John Marker – Co-Create
John will discuss opportunities that have arisen from a post-internet High Street. Journeying from an empty shell (Halfords) to a community hub that is ingrained with good. Within the talk he’ll share his experience of building a social enterprise that is impacting the lives of individuals in Exeter.

These talks will take place in the old Gap shop on Exeter High Street. They are part of RAMM about Town, a project that uses museum objects and fun activities such as building with LEGO® bricks and Minecraft to help shape conversations about the future of the High Street.

More information and booking: What’s on | RAMM, Exeter’s Royal Albert Museum & Art Gallery (admit-one.eu)