Chelmsford Weekly News
·Aug 2026
Our High Street Is Dying — 6 Experts Told Me How to Save Them
British high streets have lost thousands of retail units as online shopping, the COVID-19 pandemic, rising household costs, business rates and high commercial rents have reduced footfall and investment. Experts argue that landlords retaining vacant units, changing consumer habits and the decline of major chains have deepened the problem. Potential solutions include more realistic rents and government support, the return of revived historic brands such as Bodycare and Denby, and a shift toward independent shops, hospitality, mixed-use town centres and stronger integration of online and physical retail. The article concludes that high streets are evolving rather than necessarily disappearing, with independent businesses seen as central to their revival.