Readerquestion:
Pleaseexplain"declineofthehighstreet."
Mycomments:
Thismeanstraditionalcommerce-traditionalwaysofdoingbusiness,buyingandsellingetc-is,onthemain,onthewane.
Onthewanemeansbecomingsmaller,asthemoongetssmallerwhenit'sonthewane,whenitsilluminatedareabeginsdecreasingafterafullmoon.Otherthingsonthewanemeansthey'realsodecreasing,becominglessvigorous,lessinfluentialorlessextensive.
Whichexplainshowtraditionalshopsandbusinessesarefaringthesedays.Ascustomersincreasinglybuystuffonline,traditionalshops,i.e.realshopsonthestreetarehavingfewerandfewercustomers,hencetheirdecline.Oh,highstreet.Thatintheolddaysreferredtothemainstreetorthebiggeststreetorperhapstheonlystreetofthevillageorsmalltown.Highstreet,orHighStreetwasthuscalledpresumablybecauseonthisstreet,thedecibellevelswerehigh,astheremusthavebeenalotofshoutingandshoutingbackgoingon.Inotherwords,therewasahighlevelofhustleandbustle,i.e.alotofactivities.
Today,highstreetstandsforthebusiestcommercialdistrictofacity,itsdowntownareawherethemostimportantandbiggestbusinesstransactionsaredoneanddealt.
Okay?
Okayandallright.Herearemediaexamplesofhighstreet,bothasnounandadjective:
1.Ifyou'revisitingBritainforthefirsttimeandwonderingwhatlocalpeoplemeanwhentheydirectyouto"theHighStreet",youarenotalone.TheHighStreetisoneofthosephrases—andplaces—thatissomuchapartofeverydaylifeintheUKthatlocalpeoplehardlyeverfeeltheneedtoexplaintovisitorsandtourists.
What'sinaName?
PeopleintheUKusethetermthehighstreetthewayAmericansusethephraseMainStreet.Ahighstreetisthemaincommercialandretailstreetinatown.Inbigcities,eachneighborhoodordistrictwillprobablyhaveitsownhighstreet.Inasmallvillage,thehighstreetmayhavelittlemorethanamailbox,apublicpayphone,andasmallconveniencestore.Attheveryleast,ahighstreetusuallyhasapub.
-"TheHighStreet"andHighStreetFashion,TripSavvy.com,June4,2019.
2.WithEnglishnon-essentialstoresfreetoopenfromMonday(withhealth,socialdistancingandhygieneregulationsmet),UnderlinesMagazineassessesthemind-setofthoseconsumerswhowillbecomingouttoshopontheHighStreetagain.
AforwardthinkingreportbyTheGreenRoomadvisesthatbrandsandretailerswillbefacedwithadifferentlevelofconsumerexpectation–onethattheyhaveneverencounteredbefore.Thelast3monthshavenotonlyhadprofoundeffectsonworkingandhomelifebutalsoonemotionalandmentalwellbeing.Frommid-Marchonwardseverythingwetookasfamiliarchangedmoreorlessovernightandmeantrapidchangesforretailandbrandswhosupplythem.The‘newnormal’isnotquitehereyetaswearetransitioningatthemomentbetweentheperiodofthe‘eyeofthestorm’whenthepandemicstruckandthegradualeasingoflock-down,whichmanyconsumersaretreatingwithextremecaution,andthereismuchuncertaintystillinourdaytodaylives.Manywhohavebeenfurloughedhavebeen‘protected’againstthefinancialchaosandworryforsometime,butasthedeadlinetocontinuetofurloughstaffpassedon10thJune,therewasawaveofredundanciesintheretailchain.
No-onehasbeenuntouchedbythechangeswehaveexperienced–socialdistancing(andthereindistantsocialising),increasesinhomeexerciseandsurgeinactivewearandloungeweargarmentsales,ourlargestITandservicecompanieshavingthevastmajorityoftheirstaffworkingfromhome,ouronlyentertainmentbeinghomeentertainmentandthementalhealtheffectsofsuchrapidandseismicchangestoourlives.
-WHATWILLCONSUMERSEXPECTFROMTHEHIGHSTREETNOW?UnderlinesMagazine.com,June12,2020.
3.WITHaweektogobeforefacecoveringsarecompulsorywhileshopping,itistimetogetyours.
Butwhichisbestforyourneeds?Whetheryouwanttostandoutinthecrowd,twinwithyourfamilyorputcomfortandsafetyoverstyle,thereisamaskforyou.
Here,ClemmieFieldsendlooksattenofthebestfromtheHighStreet,ratingthemoutoffive.
Mostpractical
Wolfordplainblack,20,wolfordshop.co.uk
ATthehigherendofthepricescalebutitistreatedwithaUVlighttokillbacteria,virusesandgerms.
Itcomesuphighonthebridgeofthenose,lowunderthechinandcoversfullcheeks.Madewithsoft,bra-likematerialforcomfort.Waterproofandbreathable,too.Washat60degrees.
Myfavouritemask.
RATING:5/5
Mosttrendy
Bandana-stylefloralandspaceprint,12fortwoasos.com
MADEwithdouble-layeredfabric,withanadjustablefitaroundtheears.
Doesn’thugyourchin,butthismakesitfeellikeyouhaveroomtobreathe.
Disclaimerstatesit’snotamedicaldevice,butitwillticktheboxforwearingamask.
Washat40degrees.
RATING:3/5
-TenofthebestfacecoveringsfromtheHighStreetforeveryoccasion,TheSun.co.uk,July16,2020.
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