>>Why should "the mall" be so terrible. Usually (here) they have security wandering about and provide a more benign environment than some high streets.
>
>What is a "high" street?

We would call a mall a shopping centre (usually indoors purpose built and you usually have to drive or get public transport to it)

The high street would be the old centre of town where the shops are gathered in a small area. And quite often the street they are on is actually called high street.