I’ve never been one for standing still – and retailers shouldn’t be either…

You’re only as old as you feel. Or so we’re told.

I have generally subscribed to that view… even if my body has other ideas!

Having recently suffered a knee injury (which I still attribute to the infamous pair of overpriced trainers that were swiftly resold on Vinted), this month marked my return to the race track.

I say “race track” but the venue for my triumphant comeback was actually a theme park in the middle of Staffordshire…

Never one to miss an opportunity for a spot of competitive family exercise, Mandy had signed up the entire Waller household for the Drayton Manor 10k.

Fortunately for me the terrain was favourable, with the course’s flat tarmac paths winding past the park’s headline attractions. It felt slightly surreal to be jogging past meerkats and monkeys in England at 9AM on a Sunday morning, but the unlikely spectators were a welcome distraction from the small matter of running 10 kilometres on a dodgy knee.

Despite being a little out of practice, I’m pleased to report that I crossed the finish line in a reasonably respectable time, albeit with a nagging suspicion that I would end up paying for my overexertion the following day.

On the plus side, what I hadn’t realised was that our entry to the race also came with complimentary tickets to the theme park itself. Result!

Suddenly, any post-race twinges or thoughts of an early bath were replaced by an adrenaline-fuelled second wind. Riley and Pia may not be kids any more, but their ability to gravitate towards rollercoasters with unfiltered enthusiasm remains entirely intact. And of course I wasn’t far behind them!

It ended up being a fantastic day out and well worth a visit if you’re in the area. But aside from the thrill rides and exotic animals, one of the things that struck me most was the visible investment taking place across the park.

Much like retail, tourist attractions are operating in a challenging climate of rising costs and tight margins. And yet, despite those pressures, there was tangible evidence of ongoing maintenance, refurbishment, and improvement work ahead of the busy summer season.

Areas that had begun to show their age were being upgraded and infrastructure strengthened. From where I was standing, it was obvious that this was not simply about keeping the gates open; it was about anticipating demand and future-proofing the visitor experience.

I think there’s an important lesson in that…

Just this week, I saw another news article about an incident involving thieves using power tools to break into a supermarket via the shutter door.

In this particular case, CCTV footage shows three men wearing face coverings and dark clothing using a large handheld tool to cut through the metal shutter of a store in South Normanton. Derbyshire Police say the criminals proceeded to steal “a significant amount of cash” before fleeing the scene on motorbikes.

If this feels like déjà vu, that’s because it is. I wrote about a remarkably similar incident only a few weeks ago. The uncomfortable reality is that these types of attacks are becoming so routine that not a week goes by without another case hitting the headlines.

Criminals are clearly identifying vulnerabilities in stores’ physical barrier protection and exploiting them with ruthless efficiency. And if experience tells us anything, it’s that once a method proves effective it tends to be repeated.

Despite this, the typical response is often to simply replace the broken shutter with exactly the same model as before. I understand that retailers’ budgets are tight and decisions are often made quickly and under pressure to simply get the store trading again as soon as possible. But of course, there’s a difference between restoring operations and actually resolving risk…

If you find yourself facing repeated incidents or quietly hoping that lightning will not strike twice, it may be worth pausing before opting for a straightforward replacement. Particularly when you consider that Trellidor’s anti-grind shutters have been rigorously tested and proven to withstand the very tools now commonly used in these attacks.

A bit like gravity on a rollercoaster, criminals tend to behave predictably. The real question is whether we design our defences with that in mind, or simply hope for a smoother ride next time…

As for me, my knees might not bounce back like they used to, but after running 10k and still managing a full afternoon in the theme park, I think it’s fair to say I’m still a big kid at heart.