It may sound paradoxical, but falling consumer spending is triggering a retail boom, as shop owners employ upgraded design and the latest thinking from the States to stimulate shoppers' spending reflex. Katie Puckett reports There's been a growing sense of gloom on britain's high streets and shopping centres in recent years. Higher interest rates, mounting consumer debt, the weakening of the housing market and the London Tube bombings have drained the confidence of consumers. Then there is the option of buying from internet traders who can offer goods at a sizeable discount. Retailers have responded with profit warnings and store closures. So at MAPIC, the annual gathering of the retail property sector-at Cannes in the south of France, you might expect an air of foreboding among the architects, consultants and contractors who work in this market.
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