Preston Benson, founder of Really Local Group (https://reallylocalgroup.co.uk/) and fellow American in London, joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss:
• How Really Local Group is creating and restoring cultural infrastructure by regenerating disused high street locations.
• Homogenous high streets - how to inject character and make our high streets relevant for 21st century shopping.
• Funflation - the Taylor Swift Effect and how cinemas will evolve in the future.
• Hyper-localism, community and the importance of financial inclusivity.
• Why Amazon has partnered with Odeon and what this means for smaller, community-led cinemas.
Catford Mews (https://www.catford-mews.co.uk/homepage) was RLG’s first site and they’ve since expanded into a number of locations like Ealing, Peckham, Reading and Sidcup with more venues planned throughout 2024 and beyond.
Connect with Preston (https://www.linkedin.com/in/preston-benson-67159111/) on LinkedIn.