pfbbUK Strategy and Development Director Ian Ferguson named as Partner in Newly Launched The High Street Consultancy

News Article

pfbb UK’s Strategy and Development Director Ian Ferguson has been named as one of the partners in the newly launched The High Street Consultancy. This new consortium brings together a team of leading place specialists who played a vital role in supporting struggling towns through the government’s former High Streets Task Force.

Experienced

Bringing together eight highly experienced practitioners with deep expertise in placemaking, regeneration, and community engagement, the consultancy offers a comprehensive suite of services to support local authorities, the property and retail sectors, and communities in re-energising high streets and neighbourhoods.

The partners in the consultancy are Emma James, Matt Colledge, Sonia Cubrilo, Graham Galpin, Ian Ferguson, Ben Stephenson, Joe Barratt and Graham Soult.

Thriving

The High Street Consultancy believes that thriving town centres are critical for local identity, community belonging, enterprise and wellbeing.

The group offers tailored support ranging from place activation, branding and marketing, to visioning, BID development, vacant units, business and retail support, and cultural and heritage strategies.

Graham Soult said:

“By offering a suite of practical tools and nationally recognised models, we can help towns and high streets tackle the specific challenges they face.

“A key strength of the former High Streets Task Force was its breadth of expertise, and we see The High Street Consultancy continuing that approach tailored to local needs.”

Regeneration

Founding members of the consultancy have worked on successful regeneration projects across the UK, including Altrincham, Ashford and Bideford through to Durham, Northampton and Stockport and have held senior roles within business, retail, local authorities, BIDs and community groups.

Sonia Cubrilo added:

“Although we hold senior qualifications in place management, our real impact comes from on-the-ground delivery. Our experience means we understand the complexity of places, but more importantly, the practical solutions needed to help them not only survive, but thrive.”

Place-based action

The launch of the consortium comes at a crucial time, as the government’s recently announced Pride in Place initiative sets out to empower communities in shaping prosperous and sustainable places.

Graham Galpin said:

“There is an urgent need for practical, place-based action to redefine our towns and neighbourhoods as hubs of identity, opportunity and wellbeing. We’ve led initiatives to do this – and now we’re ready to share our expertise to help other places succeed.”

Professor Cathy Parker, Chair of the Institute of Place Management, endorsed the initiative:

”I’m delighted to witness an important legacy of the High Streets Task Force in the form of The High Street Consultancy. Having led pioneering place research and initiatives for over 30 years, I know that the need for dedicated place expertise, capacity and resources has never been greater. This consortium helps to fill that gap and will be instrumental in supporting places on their transformation journeys.”

Can we help your town?

The High Street Consultancy is a consortium of individual place professionals bringing different areas of expertise under one umbrella enabling places to avail of support across a range of specialisms.

All were designated Experts within the former High Streets Task Force (HSTF), a government body run through the Institute of Place Management. It ran from 2019 until 2024. The HSTF supported over 165 towns and cities to tackle specific areas of need to help them to realise their potential as vibrant and sustainable places.

The Institute of Place Management (IPM) is an international professional body that supports the development and management of places like high streets, town centres, and cities. It acts as a learned society and a research centre, producing academic research, providing professional development, and linking place managers, academics, and policymakers to improve places. The IPM is headquartered at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Book an appointment to talk to us about your town centre or high street today.