People say that they love bricks-and-mortar shopping in High Streets and city centres – but stores were closing at an alarming rate across the UK in 2024. Hull Live readers in our comments sections think that it’s harder than ever to keep a shop open in the 21st century, and they should be treasured.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research show that over 13,000 shops closed across the country in 2024, with independent stores – the sorts that often have one or a handful of locations – bearing the brunt of the difficulties. Large chains fared better, but the collapse of a big brand like Homebase can put hundreds or thousands of jobs at risk, and affect a local area in a big way.
Many factors have been blamed for the decline of the High Street – customer habits shifting from visiting brick-and-mortar retailers to shopping with online giants is regularly cited. Costs are also ballooning, with unit rent, business rates, energy costs and inflation all cutting into the bottom line.
On our Facebook page, readers have writing about their hopes and fears for High Street shopping. Commenter Chris Tuck writes: “Too expensive for most small businesses to operate from a premises now, especially in city centres. Highest overheads in history together with ever increasing wage bills, and disposable income drops are all a recipe for disaster. Absolutely nothing will change.”
Sharon Louise Wade says: “It’s so sad because people do still want to shop in the towns, but if there are only a couple of stores left, who will want to go into a town for that? On a plus, it was nice to see so many units in St Stephen’s when I popped in the other day, it was busy and filled me with hope!”
Roy Doughty much prefers the physical shopping experience: “My wife and I went to St Andrews Quay to SCS, what a pleasure to buy a sofa. It’s great to have a salesperson guide you through all the available choices, and see swatches of the fabrics and colours, and come away with a sofa. No way would I buy online, I like to see and feel what I buy.”
Antony Sheppard thinks that the change is irreversible: “High street shopping does have a future, but in a different and reduced fashion. Gone are the days when people bought everything in shops, now people (myself included) immediately go online for many purchases. I would say that the only things I buy in shops is food & drink and clothes (because I like to feel and try them), pretty much everything else I’ll buy online as it’s cheaper, easier and you get what you want. I’m not saying it’s good or bad, it’s just the way it is now, times move on.”
Jerome Tether agrees: “People now shop online for everything. It’s cheaper and easier. Every year we move further towards that and every year the ‘High Street’ withdraws. It’s natural and unavoidable. The real problem is what it does to our economy.”
Looney Clunes thinks that is one way to extend the life of the High Street: “The only way shops will stay open is if they adopt the European way of opening about 11am and closing at 830/9pm. Every time I want to shop they are closed or closing, as they shut at 430/5pm. Later closing hours would give us that work a chance to browse or buy. Instead our only alternative is to buy online.”
Have your say! How would you change how retail and shopping work in Hull and the UK? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.