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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Aug- 2025 -21 AugustFeatures
River Island’s predicament: High Court rescue buys time, not certainty
River Island has won a crucial lifeline after a High Court judge sanctioned its restructuring plan, allowing the embattled fashion retailer to push ahead with sweeping store closures, deep rent cuts, and a debt write-off. The ruling came just days before the company warned it would run out of money…
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20 AugustClothing & Shoes
Topshop set to return to high street with Liberty residency
ASOS has announced that Topshop and Topman are set to return to physical retail for the first time since their collapse, having secured an exclusive in-store residency at Liberty from 28 August. The move marks a new chapter for the Arcadia-owned brands, which have been online-only since 2021. The collection…
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19 AugustSupermarkets
Grocery sales up 4% as Lidl narrows gap on Morrisons
Take-home grocery sales grew 4% in the four weeks to 10 August, as Lidl also closed in on Morrisons’ market position as the UK’s fifth largest grocer, the latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator show. The figures also showed that grocery price inflation eased slightly to 5.0%, down from 5.2%…
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14 AugustSupermarkets
Business rates rise could see more than 100 supermarkets at risk
More than 100 large UK supermarkets could reportedly face closure under government plans to raise business rates for the most valuable retail properties, according to the Financial Times. It learnt that the proposed changes, due to be announced in the autumn Budget, could increase rates for premises with a rateable…
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13 AugustComment
It’s time we had a system that stopped taxing retailers as if it were 1599
Our high streets have had a tough time in recent years – battered by a global pandemic, war, energy shocks and soaring inflation. Yet despite it all, shops have kept going – serving their communities, creating jobs, and showing remarkable resilience. But resilience isn’t a plan for growth, and nostalgia…
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13 AugustHigh Street
Shoe Zone halves profit forecast amid weak consumer confidence
Shoe Zone expects annual profits to fall by half after seeing a drop in footfall and revenues during June and July, as higher interest rates and weak consumer confidence continue to weigh on spending. The footwear retailer now forecasts adjusted profit before tax of about £2.5m for the year ending…
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12 AugustHigh Street
Poundland confirms location of 12 further store closures
Poundland has confirmed the locations of a further 12 stores that are set to close under its restructuring plan, taking the total number identified to 52 out of 68. As part of the restructuring plan, 13 stores have already closed, with 15 closures planned for 17 August, and 12 planned…
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8 AugustEconomy
Footfall declines in July for second consecutive year
UK footfall fell by 0.4% year on year in July, according to data from the British Retail Consortium–Sensormatic IQ, marking a second consecutive year of decline for the month. The figure was a slight improvement on June’s 1.8% fall. High street footfall declined by 1.7%, compared with a 3.0% drop…
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1 AugustHigh Street
High street sales fall further behind online after poor July
Total like-for-like retail sales grew by just 2.8% in July, compared to a base of 3.0% in July 2024, according to data from accountancy firm BDO. Sales in bricks-and-mortar stores grew by just 0.8% compared to July 2024, delivering a result significantly below inflation and therefore a reduction to volumes…
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1 AugustClothing & Shoes
Next acquires Seraphine brand out of administration
Next has acquired the brand and intellectual property of maternity fashion retailer Seraphine, following its collapse into administration at the beginning of July. Seraphine ceased trading on 7 July when Will Wright and Chris Pole of consultancy Interpath were appointed joint administrators. The move resulted in the closure of its…
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