TODAY The Argus has reported on the Brilliant Brighton plan to create something positive out of the collapse of large retailers.

Brighton and Hove, along with towns and cities across the country, now has prominent stores lying empty.

The coronavirus crisis has brought about changes in the way we shop and buy, with more of us looking to online companies to get the latest clothes, gadgets and items that take our fancy.

In the wake of this online trend has been the demise of well known household name retailers like Debenhams and Topshop.

Sadly, many thousands of retail jobs will have gone to, and will leave council bosses and real estate owners with a headache about how such prominent sites can be used.

So as things are gradually allowed to reopen, the plan to let new businesses take over these empty spaces is a welcome one, and the idea of also allowing artists and creative people to use unwanted space will bring new ideas and colour so that things do not look too drab and dreary with empty retail spaces.

Many towns and cities did look similar in terms of what shops were on offer to customers, so this scheme will certainly add more variety to our high street experience and can hopefully help kickstart the economic and cultural recovery we need.