Cathy Parker

Professor Cathy Parker is a leading academic in place management and retail enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University's Business School. As Chair of the Institute of Place Management, she advises the UK Government’s High Streets Task Force and drives initiatives to revitalize high streets through evidence-based strategies. Her research focuses on high street viability, independent retail resilience, and cross-sector collaboration in urban regeneration.

Key projects include leading two £3.5m EU-funded initiatives (AGORA and REN) and producing impactful reports like Reframing High Street Viability and Post-COVID-19 High Street Resilience. She frequently engages with policy makers, appearing before parliamentary groups and media outlets such as BBC Newsnight and ITV Tonight.

• Research Priorities: High street regeneration, placemaking, and pandemic resilience
• Initiatives: HSUK2020 project, High Streets Task Force leadership, and Institute of Place Management advocacy
• Media Engagement: Regular contributor to BBC and ITV on urban retail trends

Professor Parker’s work emphasizes stakeholder collaboration, with notable contributions to town center management models and litter’s impact on place perception. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges academic research and practical policy application.