A local landlord has launched a one man campaign to bring back life to a high street in his home town by buying up units and renting them out.
Mark Smith has revitalised Leigh Park in Havant by buying 10 units in the local high street. The main artery of the town had been run down for years, as is the case with many high streets across the UK, however, Mr Smith is having remarkable success in resurrecting Leigh Park. He has steadily purchased properties, including landlord insurance, and each time he has found a tenant to make the business pay. At the moment he has business tenants in seven of the ten shops and will shortly see the other three open for business in the hands of new tenants.
Mr Smith revealed the secret of his success was buying at low prices and installing tenants at low rents, he explained: “I purchased them at reasonable prices and I’m able to offer them at about half the price that existing landlords are offering. Landlords need to adapt. Shopkeepers need to adapt. They need to be flexible in their approach. It’s very straightforward really. The local community is very large. We are the second largest housing estate in Europe and I know the communities here. The council has spent a lot of money on infrastructure. If we fill the shops up then people will come.”
Life in the Hampshire town is certainly livelier now and the landlord’s determination to bring the town back to life is certainly bucking a national trend. However, Mr Smith warned that unless the community supported local shops then the businesses would fail in the long run. He and his tenants have provided the public with shops that are needed, they must now play their part and use them.