As the high street goes through a radical revolution, we are seeing long established major chains closing down stores left right and centre. With the demise of many high street giants, comes a new period of small independent shops looking to capture a share of the public interest. Glasgow city is a prime example of this current trend. Glasgow has look been hailed as the creative and cultural capital of Scotland, and perhaps even the whole UK. It is well known for its arts and drama scenes, alongside a far reaching music scene and other creative industries. Over the last 10 years Glasgow has seen a dramatic rise in the number of small pop ups, like bars, cafes, restaurants, boutique shops, makers shops, and most relevant to this article, tattoo shops Glasgow wants in the city.
Why Are There More Tattoo Shops Glasgow?
As tattoos are becoming more and more accepted by society, the number of people looking to get a tattoo is rising. To meet this demand, tattoo shops are springing up to get a piece of the action. Most popular tattoo parlours can have their diaries fully booked for months in advance, and now around 1 in 4 people in the UK have a tattoo. The perception that this kind of art is only for criminals and low level society is gone, and now everyone from celebrities to athletes can be seen showing off their body art.
UK High Streets
The nature of our shopping habits in the UK have changed dramatically over the last 10 years, and the continue to change every day. 82 percent of Brits now shop on line, which is up hugely from 53 percent 10 years ago. In December 2019, the percentage of all retail sales online was over 20 percent, which is a huge slice of the market, especially around Christmas, when shoppers tend to venture out to physical stores to make their purchases. Whether we like it or not, the shift is clearly apparent, more people are moving towards online shopping and leaving the high street behind. The first half of last year saw over 2800 store closures in the UK, with the second half looking just as bad.
Is This a Problem?
Many people are up in arms about these closures, but the truth is that the high street is not in decline, it is simply changing. The core services that the high street provides are not really being affected by the online shopping trends, as there are some things that you simply cannot get online. For example, a haircut, dry cleaners and leisure centres all require a physical presence. And with the case of tattoo parlours, the demand for the service is steadily growing, so now studios are popping up all over major cities. It seems that the changes in shopping habits of people in the UK are for a reason, and the public are clearly voting with their feet. One thing that will always sway consumer purchase decisions is convenience, and online shopping is making everything more convenient.