Re-imagining town centres: Local lessons from Japan and the UK

Town centres and local commercial districts are both economic and social hubs for local communities. They provide residents with local access to services and goods, are important sources of jobs and turnover, serve as community gathering points and foster local pride and identity. Despite their historic role as the “heart” of many communities, they are under increasing pressures,  such as growing competition from e-commerce, declining foot traffic, and rising rent and energy costs.

Join this webinar to hear how local communities in Japan and the UK have come up with innovative solutions to revitalise their high streets and town centres in light of these challenges and where there might be ground for mutual learning.            

This webinar is organised in partnership between the OECD Local Development Forum and the Japan Local Government Centre, London.

The OECD Local Development Forum is a community of thousands of individuals worldwide, united by their shared commitment to making their communities more resilient, inclusive and sustainable. It brings together representatives of regional and national governments, employment and training agencies, economic and community development agencies, chambers of commerce, public employment services and social innovators from around the world. Through its events and online resources, the Forum serves as a venue for peer learning, disseminating local innovations and best practices at the global level, and bringing the OECD’s work beyond ministries to local communities.

The Japan Local Government Centre, London (JLGC) is an overseas office of Japan’s Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). CLAIR is a government-affiliated foundation that supports the internationalisation of local authorities in Japan by providing training opportunities, fostering people-to-people exchange with the JET Programme and other initiatives, supporting multiculturalism, and conducting research on their behalf. As the London Office of CLAIR, JLGC has responsibility for the following countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.