Why giving people more time could be one of the simplest ways to strengthen Britain’s independent high streets. Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director, Spring & Autumn Fair, writes:
The UK’s best independent retailers all have one thing in common. They give people a reason to stay a little longer. Whether it’s discovering the perfect gift, choosing a piece of homeware, finding a beautifully crafted product or simply enjoying the experience of browsing, independent retail has never been about speed. It’s about inspiration, discovery and human connection. Those are qualities that can’t be rushed.
That’s why Spring & Autumn Fair has launched a Parliamentary petition calling for a minimum of 90 minutes’ free parking in town and city centres across England. The campaign is built on a simple belief: if we make it easier for people to spend more time on the high street, we make it easier for them to support the independent retailers that give those places their identity.
The petition wasn’t born from opinion. It was born from evidence. Earlier this year, we launched Voices of Retail, our research programme in partnership with Faire, to better understand the realities facing Britain’s independent retailers and the communities they serve. Rather than making assumptions about what businesses need, we wanted the data to lead the conversation.
One finding stood out more than any other. When we asked retailers which intervention would have the greatest positive impact on their business, 38% identified free parking. Consumers reached exactly the same conclusion, with 63% saying free parking would encourage them to visit town and city centres more often.
For me, that’s the most powerful part of the story. Retailers and consumers, approaching the question from completely different perspectives, arrived at exactly the same answer. That tells us this isn’t simply a retail issue. It’s a high street issue.
Independent retailers don’t compete with online businesses by being the quickest or the cheapest. They compete by offering something online never can: beautifully curated shops, knowledgeable people, exceptional service and the excitement of discovering something unexpected. Whether you’re shopping for a gift, refreshing your home, searching for artisan products or simply enjoying a day in your local town, those experiences depend on having the time to enjoy them.
That’s why we’re calling for 90 minutes. Not because free parking is the complete answer to every challenge facing Britain’s high streets, but because it’s one practical change that could remove a barrier preventing people from visiting more often and staying longer once they’re there.
Time is one of the most valuable things independent retailers can offer their customers. It’s the freedom to browse without watching the clock. It’s the opportunity to visit several independent businesses in one trip. It’s stopping for lunch, discovering a new maker, walking into a shop you’ve never visited before or finding the perfect product you didn’t know you were looking for.
That’s where the real value of our high streets lies. Our research reinforces that opportunity. 95% of consumers told us they would spend more if their local high street offered a better mix of shops, while 96% want to see more independent retailers sitting alongside cafés, bakeries and other businesses that make town centres enjoyable places to visit.
These findings should give us confidence. People haven’t fallen out of love with independent retail. They simply want town centres that are easier to visit and more enjoyable to spend time in.
For years we’ve talked about saving the high street, but perhaps the conversation needs to shift. Rather than focusing solely on what we’ve lost, we should be looking at the practical steps that encourage people back into our town centres. That’s exactly what this campaign is about.
We’re inviting independent retailers across the country to support the petition and become part of the conversation. We’ve created a free retailer toolkit, including window posters, QR-code stickers, social assets and digital materials, making it easy for businesses to encourage customers to add their voices.
No single initiative will transform Britain’s high streets overnight. But when retailers and consumers independently identify the same practical solution, I believe it’s worth listening.
Sign the petition. Download the retailer toolkit. Help us turn retail insight into practical action.
To sign the petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/772686
To download the retailer campaign pack email: visitor@autumnfair.com
To download the findings of the full Voices Of Retail Report: Voices of Retail Report – Autumn Fair 2026
