6,000 shops close in tough year for UK’s high streets

The UK’s high streets suffered 5,855 store closures in 2017, more than in any year since 2010, as fashion retailers, shoe shops, travel agents and estate agents have been driven out by the rise of internet shopping. A net 1,700 chain shops closed their doors in 2017, according to analysis of the UK’s top 500 towns compiled by the Local Data Company (LDC) for PricewaterhouseCoopers. An average of 11 stores a day opened, while 16 a day closed. The data does not include independent shops. Click here for the full Guardian article