High Street
This coverage explores the state and evolution of the UK high street, with reporting on store openings and closures, footfall trends, redevelopment projects, policy impacts, and changing consumer behaviour. Insights are designed to help retail managers and executives understand the challenges and opportunities shaping high street retail operations and strategy.
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Apr- 2023 -13 AprilHigh Street
BRC calls for business rates freeze amid Labour’s high street rescue plan
The British Retail Consortium has responded to Labour’s five-point plan to revitalise high streets by calling for a permanent freeze on business rates. Leader Sir Keir Starmer revealed the party’s high streets policy during a local election campaign visit to Great Yarmouth and said that the Labour government would “boost…
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Mar- 2023 -2 MarchHigh Street
High street chain stores closing at lowest rate since 2014
High street chain stores closed at the slowest rate since 2014 in the second half of 2022 according to data from accounting firm PWC. A total of 11,530 chain outlets, brands with five or more stores, exited GB high streets, shopping centres and retail parks, an average of 32 closures…
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Jan- 2023 -27 JanuaryHigh Street
Store Vacancies fall to 13.8% in Q4
The overall vacancy rate improved to 13.8% in the fourth quarter of 2022, which was 0.1 percentage points better than Q3 and 0.6 percentage points better than the same period last year, according to the latest BRC/LDC monitor. This was the fifth consecutive quarter of falling vacancy rates. All locations…
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Dec- 2022 -20 DecemberHigh Street
Rail strikes and cold weather sees high street footfall fall 10%
The rail strikes and a bout of cold weather negatively impacted high street footfall last week, a key period for retailers in the run up to Christmas, with footfall falling -10.2, according to the latest figures from Springboard. Footfall across all UK retail destinations was -0.9% lower than last year…
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Nov- 2022 -10 NovemberHigh Street
WH Smith profits soar amid global travel return
WH Smith has reported a headline pre-tax profit of £61m for the year to the end of August, against a £104m loss last year, beating market expectations. It also posted a “significant recovery” in group performance with revenue of £1.4bn, up from £886m in 2021. The company said it would…
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Oct- 2022 -28 OctoberHigh Street
Store vacancy rate falls but remains below pre-pandemic levels
In the third quarter of 2022, the overall GB vacancy rate decreased to 13.9%, a 0.1% rise from Q2 and 0.6% better than the same period last year, according to the latest monitor from the BRC and Local Data Company. This was the fourth consecutive quarter of falling vacancy rates.…
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Sep- 2022 -27 SeptemberHigh Street
Card Factory sales soars as high street business rebounds
Card Factory has welcomed revenue growth of 4.1% in its half-year results, following “good momentum within the business” as well as a “shift of customer spend back towards the high street and reversal of lockdown effects”. As customers returned to the high street, store revenue soared by 81.8% in the…
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7 SeptemberHigh Street
WH Smith buoyed by travel as high street sales take hit
WH Smith expects that full-year trading will be in line with expectations in FY22, as a rebound in its travel business helped mitigate weaker sales across the high street. Total revenue surpassed 2019 levels at 112% in the half-year ended 27 August 2022, while Travel was “comfortably in excess of…
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6 SeptemberGovernment
Retailers call for strong leadership and high street support from new PM
The retail industry has urged Liz Truss to work alongside the sector and provide “strong leadership” amid the deepening cost-of-living crisis, as she succeeds the role of prime minister today (6 September). The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said that while the retail industry is ready to work with the new…
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2 SeptemberPeople Moves
Not On The High Street appoints Leanne Rothwell as CEO
Not On The High Street has announced its chief commercial officer Leanne Rothwell is to succeed Claire Davenport as its CEO. Davenport is set to step down as CEO of Not On The High Street after three years leading the company. Rothwell will step into the role of CEO starting…
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