Select Committee · Scottish Affairs Committee

The future of Scotland’s high streets

Status: Open Opened: 11 Nov 2025

In Scotland, as in other parts of the UK, concerns have been raised about how high streets and town centres are changing. Scotland’s high streets face multiple challenges, and many have been described as being in ‘decline’. However, possible new models for resilient and thriving high streets are emerging, while there continues to be interest … Show more

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
8 Jul 2026 Chris Ashton · LINK, Eric Leenders · UK Finance, Jack Foden · Post Office, Poppy Simister-Thomas · Cash Access UK View ↗
21 Jan 2026 Colin Borland · Federation of Small Businesses, Professor Cathy Parker MBE · Manchester Metropolitan University, Professor James White · University of Glasgow, Professor Leigh Sparks · University of Stirling View ↗

Who gave evidence

8 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Chris Ashton · Chief Commercial Officer LINK 1
Colin Borland · Scotland Director Federation of Small Businesses 1
Eric Leenders · Managing Director (Personal Finance) UK Finance 1
Jack Foden · Head of Public Affairs and Policy Post Office 1
Poppy Simister-Thomas · Chief Strategy Officer Cash Access UK 1
Professor Cathy Parker MBE · Professor Manchester Metropolitan University 1
Professor James White · Professor University of Glasgow 1
Professor Leigh Sparks · Professor University of Stirling 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
14 Jul 2026 Correspondence from Post Office following up from 8 July session, dated 9 July…