Whether it is a sourdough bakery or artisan perfumer, Britain’s high streets are full of independent shops with strikingly beautiful facades. But it is easy to miss them as the country continues to lose its traditional retail space to cloned chains. But a few town centres are starting to reverse this trend, as shown by these photos of restored shopfronts from across the UK.Source :shopfrontdesign.co.uk

The simplest shopfronts can have the greatest impact, as evidenced by this early twentieth-century example. This modest building front combines the elements of a Georgian design with the more fashionable features of later nineteenth-century architecture. The windows – including a mezzanine floor – are flanked by fluted columns and the whole is topped with decorative iron cresting, which adds character and reflects the building’s original use as a drapers.

From High Street to Online: Adapting UK Shopfronts in the Digital Age

A shop front is a business’s first impression and can say much about its brand and reputation. As such, it should be carefully considered and carefully designed.

Many historic towns have heritage-aided schemes for shopfront improvement aimed at preserving traditional designs and ensuring that they are well maintained. These include educating owners, unpicking later inappropriate additions and restoring traditional signage where appropriate. This is challenging over a long period, however, given the transient nature of shop ownership.

The British love to complain about their high street, but the truth is that most of the country’s shopping districts are thriving. This is demonstrated by the variety of interesting shopfronts that can be seen in London’s bustling streets. From artisan cheesemongers to historic perfumers, this gallery of London’s best shopfronts showcases the diversity of the city.

…