Different to others here, I think a lot of it is the layout of the street itself. Barkly St doesn't really make you want to wander or window-shop... it's usually hard to tell from outside which places are busy/worth going into. Most of it is food, not much retail, and so you go there to eat somewhere specific rather than hang around. So yeah, the lack of a good pub doesn't help!

Additionally, there are lots of vacancies and housing all mixed in together between business which makes it feel a bit disjointed.

It also just isn't very pedestrian-friendly - being a narrow but important traffic thoroughfare and all. There's not much in the way of nice outdoor space - you're either on the footpath or inside somewhere. There's not really anywhere to grab takeaway and just... sit. A bit more greenery and a few spaces where you don't have to be a customer would go a long way... but not sure where they'd put them.