A leading online retailer says local councils should stop trying to attract more shops to town centres.

Nick Glynne, managing director of Deighton-based Buy It Direct, said a new vision for town centres was needed as more people opted to buy online, insisting: “We don’t need retail premises. We need lots of ‘sheds’ for distribution close to the motorway.”

Speaking at the Great Kirklees Economic Debate, held at Kirklees College’s new Chapel Hill complex, Mr Glynne said town centres needed to “shrink” by 25% and should focus on being places of entertainment.

While shopping centres would continue to survive, the high street was hit by a continual turnover of retailers – and councils were pursuing the wrong strategy in trying to bring in yet more shops.

He cited soaring online sales for retailers such as John Lewis and Debenhams as proof that people were internet shopping for things they would previously have bought in-store.

Mr Glynne also urged employers to “stop moaning” about a lack of skills among young people and get involved with schools and colleges to design courses, claiming: “There is a massive gap in terms of what the education system turns out and what we need.”

The debate, attended by more than 100 business people, was staged by Kirklees College and Huddersfield Town Enterprise Academy.

Other speakers were college principal Peter McCann; Kirklees Council chief executive Adrian Lythgo; Karen Borowski, of accountancy firm Revell Ward; Mark Young, sales director of Brighouse firm John Walton Machine Tools Ltd; and Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney. The facilitator was Town commercial director Sean Jarvis.

Mr McCann said: “Today’s event was a great success and a great opportunity for us to invite businesses to our fantastic new building to talk about some key issues affecting us all.”

He hailed the club’s enterprise academy, which provides a means for local businesses to get together and exchange ideas, adding: “We can work even closer with employers to make sure that we’re providing the most appropriate courses and activities for our students to progress into jobs and higher education.

“In return, employers get fully trained, work-ready employees.”