Pharmacies, pubs and banks made up half of the closures on Britain's High Streets in the first six months of this year, data suggests. A total of 6,945 stores have closed so far in 2024, which is the equivalent of 38 shops per day. However, if you take into account new store openings, there's only a net closure of 12 stores a day, which is slightly higher than the same period last year. On average, 18 chemists, 16 pubs and nine banks shut down every week between January and June - according to research from accountancy firm PwC. But only three convenience stores and one café chain opened in their place, highlighting the huge changes taking place in town centres. Last year saw net store closures of 11 shops a day. The data covers businesses with more than five outlets and includes everything from retail and hospitality to gyms, banks and hairdressers. It does not include independent traders. Convenience stores were the best performing category as supermarkets like Morrisons and Asda opened new outlets. It’s also been a tough first year for takeaways and restaurants. After a year of growth, these categories were hit by dozens of closures as the hospitality sector grapples with higher costs and weaker demand. The one bright spot was retail parks where chains opened more space for the second year in a row with new drive-throughs in big demand.
