Register to get 1 free article
Reveal the article below by registering for our email newsletter.
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
More than half of the UK’s independent retailers have considered closing their business, according to a new survey from Spring and Autumn Fair and Save The High Street.org.
Some 63.4% of respondents cited reduced customer spending and footfall as their greatest challenge, followed by competition from online platforms (57.4%) and increasing employment costs (39%). Rent rises (21.1%), business rates (14.7%) and limited high street regeneration funding (22.7%) were also key concerns.
A total of 84% said they lacked confidence that the government was doing enough to support the sector. Most of those surveyed run a single store (89.4%) and employ fewer than five staff (86.3%).
Despite this, many businesses remain resilient. More than a third (36.7%) have traded for over a decade and 62.8% have operated for more than three years.
Retailers called for greater financial support to help them remain viable, including increased small business grants (39%) and a freeze or reduction in business rates (26.7%).
They also highlighted the need for local interventions such as improved high street infrastructure (49.4%), community events (49.8%), affordable parking (46.6%) and marketing assistance (76.9%).
Soraya Gadelrab, Spring and Autumn Fair event director, said: “This data shows how much independent retailers are struggling – but also how much they matter. The high street is more than a place to shop. It’s a space for connection, culture, and community. If we want thriving towns, we must start by backing the businesses that hold them together.”
Alex Schlagman, founding partner of SaveTheHighStreet.org, added: “These findings reveal just how critical it is to remove the barriers holding small retailers back. Through smarter support, local partnerships, and focused innovation, we can level the playing field and ensure independent businesses thrive in a changing world.”
Spring and Autumn Fair and Save The High Street.org are calling on the government to implement targeted reforms and infrastructure investment to prevent further closures and community decline.
