New data has revealed the declining numbers of stores on the High Street due to shoppers increasingly buying footwear online and that will hit the beleaguered high street
Shoe shops are being given the boot – with experts saying there will be none left in Britain by the end of 2037. As Brits increasingly buy footwear online, experts – using the latest data from the Office for National Statistics – found that shoe shops would be history in just 11 years.
In 2020/21 there were around 1,700 shoe shops dotted around the UK, falling to 1,500 in 2022/23, and around 1,300 in 2025/26. That’s a 24% decrease over five years.
Experts at insurance firm Simply Business reckon the number of shoe shops closing will start to snowball, with less than 1,000 by 2030, and none at all by 2037.
Eric Fanshaw, 56, of Northampton, said he’d worn the same type of shoe – Hi-Tec trainers – for the last 30 years.
He said: “I’ve found Hi-Tecs the most comfy shoes I’ve ever had, so why would I change to anything else? As long as I can keep buying them online I’ll be fine, but my wife will be devastated if all the shoe shops close down.”
A spokesman for Simply Business said its ‘Endangered List’ was a warning shot to businesses throughout the UK. He said: “Our research found that 113,350 independent businesses are set to go extinct within 20 years.
“Using ONS data we calculated the extinction date of businesses, finding that shoe shops were the most endangered, facing extinction as early as 2037 if current rates of decline continue.
“We found that corner shops and pubs and bars would follow closely behind.”
Julie Fisher, UK CEO of Simply Business, said: “As they continue to battle against rising operational costs, independent retailers are set to face another price hike this April as business rates increase.
“While they continue to show remarkable tenacity in the face of economic challenges, our research reveals the difficult road that lies ahead for some of our favourite shops.
“These are the businesses that give our high streets their character and our communities their identity.
“Providing insurance for nearly one million small businesses and landlords, we understand the increasing pressure they are under and the support they need if they are to thrive. Without it our high streets could soon become unrecognisable.”
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