The exact number of staff sacked from closed UK high street stores so far this year has been revealed.
Several major high street names have either closed masses of stores or disappeared from the high street altogether in recent months. From WHSmith, Costa, Tesco and Sainsbury’s closing multiple branches, to brands such as Morphe and Ted Baker disappearing entirely – 2024 has not been kind to the high street.
And now Retail Research has revealed just how many members of the British public have lost their jobs from the constant closures. They have calculated that a whopping 15,359 employees have been affected by 759 stores closing up until the end of August.
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And they also claim that a total of 24 business have been lost for good. Other business included in that lost for good list are LayBuy, CTD Tiles, Avon Products, The Floor Room, Carpetright and Shuropody.
A spokesman for the Centre for Retail Research said: “Generally, shopping patterns and street patterns change over the decades.
“There are too many retail stores, so high streets need to be smaller. However the retail comparison shopping streets in major cities should be all right once tourists return and people start working from offices three to four days a week. If Working From Home continues to be the norm, it is difficult to see how central-area high streets, restaurants, hospitality and hotels could continue in their present form. Radical surgery would then be required.
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“Government policy about high streets mainly focuses on improving the built environment. It is important that high streets look fresh rather than dowdy and unkempt. There needs to be a very varied mix of stores, large and small, multiple and independent, covering most of the main vertical retail markets.
“The system of business rates needs radical reform: otherwise many retailers will not be able to operate.”
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