A single website for shoppers to access retailers on every high street in Britain could be created under plans laid out by a taskforce on reviving town centres.
The Digital High Street Advisory Board, which includes representatives from Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Google, has urged the government to raise broadband speeds to at least 75 megabits per second by 2020 — way up from the present average of 22.8mps — and to improve digital skills in an effort to get smaller shops online.
Another recommendation is to turn TheGreatBritishHighStreet.co.uk, an existing website, into a consumer brand with information about every high street in the country.
The panel, which reports to the government, is chaired by John Walden, chief executive of Home Retail Group, which owns Argos and Homebase. He said: “We think digital and local bricks-and-mortar retailers working together will give consumers better options [because shoppers often check prices online before hitting the high street].”
A “digital lab” for shops is recommended to come up with new ideas, as is a “digital high street health index” to compare web accessibility in British towns and cities. Only half of small businesses have websites, with only a third able to do business online.