Although the BCSC conference in Belfast was just a few months ago, it does seem longer than last November that John Laker, managing director of developer Centros Miller, made a plea from the platform for independent traders to “get a look in” on new shopping centre developments. They are, he said, “a vital part of the fabric of our society.”

Hear! Hear! But are we seeing any signs of a ‘look-in’? Are we likely to see such a thing occurring in this day and age? I very much doubt it, except perhaps in a few isolated cases or on small, very local, shopping centres.

I have been reporting on the death of the independent since the late 1950s. Since then we have witnessed the demise of scores of thousands of small independents. Many of those that went out of business were responsible for their own failure. Many failed to learn how to meet competition, while others lacked the vision or desire to progress.

It has to be remembered that more than a few of the significant retail players of the present day were once single-store independents.

Today’s independent trader seems doomed to wander for all eternity the world of small precincts and minuscule strip malls. The chances of getting an ‘affordable’ rent, courtesy of the current crop of developers and agents, are about the same as Mr Prescott providing proper ‘affordable housing’ in his manic drive to concrete over the South of England.

I would wish to see John Laker put his money where his mouth is and move towards providing prime – or as near as dammit – space for the dedicated and forward-looking independent.

After all, we are seeing, currently, a slowdown in trading by the multiples. Might we actually be seeing the start of an era when a little more decent space for the good independent may become available in prime locations?

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