The head of one of Cumbria’s most successful retailers is asking for the views of others in the sector as he prepares to meet MPs and push for a fresh approach to the high street.

Martin Foster, managing director of Ambleside based retailer Lakeland Leather, has been selected to represent independent retailers at a Parliamentary Select Committee looking into the health of the high street next month.

Mr Foster, who was selected for the appearance by the British Independent Retailers Association, will appear before a cross-party panel of MPs on December 3.

He will be one of many retailers to represent the sector in front of a number of panels forming the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on the high street and town centres in 2030 inquiry.

Others will include representatives from Debenhams, House of Fraser, John Lewis and Amazon.

The inquiry is exploring the future role of the high street and its contribution to local economies and communities, as well as the challenges it faces due to changing demographics and technologies.

“Clearly I have got my own views as to some of the things that will help retail, but what I really want to do is to ask other retailers to share their ideas with me, because what we're doing at the moment clearly isn’t working,” he said.

“This is an opportunity for our company to put forward constructive changes for independent retailers. Changes we want to see on our future high street."

Although all retailers in different areas faced different challenges - whether driven by the introduction of the national living wage, rate hikes or pressures on parking - he said they all shared a common theme.

“The primary issue here is that the high street is at the heart of most communities,” said Mr Foster.

“If we see the prime components of it - the retailers - beginning to degrade and disappear then it starts to break up the community.

“If you look at Ambleside, where we are based, it is starting to attract the type of fashion retail brands that you can find anywhere.

"Therefore, Ambleside is beginning to lose its unique difference that draws people to that village.

“We have to have restrictions around the type of business and retailers that can move into those kind of areas.

"They drive businesses that are unique away and it starts to undermine and destroy those areas.”

Lakeland Leather currently has 15 stores in towns across the UK, including Keswick, Bowness and Ambleside.

Any independent retailers or shoppers who want to pass their opinions onto Mr Foster can email him at mfoster@lakelandleather.co.uk before December 3.