[jennyjuniper]

It is sad to see a place you once loved go into decline. Unfortunately it's the shopping malls to blame. These are usually placed on the outskirts of town and the town centre becomes a ghost town. Locals should approach the council and ask for an incentive scheme to be put into place. This would mean that the council would encourage cheap rent on empty shops, especially on the high street for individuals to rent, such as craft shops, deli's and so on.
It's a hard job bringing a town centre back to life, but it can be done.