Empty department stores will host real-life Monopoly games to help UK high streets

Deserted department stores in Britain’s struggling city centres are set to be given a new lease of life by becoming live board game attractions.

With empty spaces in high streets across the country, alternative uses for buildings that once buzzed with shoppers are in demand.

Now, following the success of Monopoly Lifesized in London, David Hutchinson, the boss of Path Entertainment Group has outlined expansion plans in other cities.

His comments could help the revival which the Mirror has been calling for, as part of our High Street Fightback campaign.

In Monopoly Lifesized, teams of friends and families get to go around a real-life board, with massive dice and actors playing the parts of the classic tokens.

Deserted department stores will host a life-size version of Monopoly game (Monopoly Lifesized London)

The “immersive” night out, one of several springing up across the capital, takes place in the old Paperchase stationery flagship store which closed last year during the pandemic.

“The idea is to take world-class concepts like Monopoly, to go into major High Street locations which obviously have become quite available in recent years due to the move towards online, which has obviously been accelerated by Covid,” David said.

“We want to be part of the rebirth of the High Street through leisure and art concepts. We got a building on a long lease in London for Monopoly, and we’re looking in other cities for large square-footage in former stores and restaurants which are now empty.

“The High Street cannot rely on retail any more, not with click and collect and buying things online. We feel we’ve got an opportunity here to be part of the drive back to the High Street.”

The new plans could help struggling high streets in Britain's cities (Monopoly Lifesized London)

Path has plans to open up similar themed attractions in the north of England in the coming months.

And the company insists that bringing visitors back into city centres will have knock-on benefits for surrounding shops, bars and restaurants.

“It all benefits, and brings people back to city centres,” David continued. “These city centres now have considerable buildings that are empty, and we still need to find an economy for that. I think we feel this is definitely the way it is going.

“It will take a while to build up, but we have to give people a reason to come back into city centres.”