Jul/Aug 2011 "Think Tank" report by Speciality Food Magazine

Installing fake shop fronts has become the latest way of saving our precious high streets. Here Paul Murphy, co-founder of Shopjacket explains why focusing on visual impact is helping failing businesses.

Fake shops, bogus businesses and shoptical illusions - Shopjackets have numerous nicknames in the media, but they are in actual fact helping to put business back into the nation's empty shops.  

Shopjackets burst onto our shop fronts in the midst of the recession, and the concept was first coined by property consultant Paul Murphy. Paul explains how he got involved. "North Tyneside Council contacted me about 18 months ago because they were having problems with their town centres, and they were facing large amounts of vacant shops.

"At first they didn't want an individual to start the project, but as soon as they heard how my policies could help the shopping districts they started to listen more. My changes included better staff training and more attractive shop fronts so they could actually compete with Tesco and internet stores. My ideas were different from others and it started a real buzz going."