2011: How The High Street Was Hit

2011 was a very tough year for the high-street. It never seemed to be out of the news. Either someone was in administration, or someone was about to go into administration.


I found a website which lists the retailers that have gone over the course of 2011. Warning, the list below is a bit of a long one, but I'm writing it to make a point of how badly the high-street is struggling right now (I've highlighted the bigger and more obvious companies):


Hawkins Bazaar
D2 Jeans
Barratt's/Priceless
Cooks Bakery
Broadmarsh Centre
MFI
Best Buy
Comet
Alexon
Walmsley
Floors-2-Go
Lombok
TJ Hughes
Jane Norman
Habitat
Homeform
McCormick's Music Shop - iconic music store in Glasgow
Life And Style
Haldanes
Focus DIY
ETS
HiHo Jewelers
BeCheeky - online retailer
Oddbins
Alworths - successor to Woolworths
Easy Living Furniture - retails trading name of Sofas UK
The Officers Club
Henley's
Dekko
Autoquake
Shakeaway Milk Bars
Arrogant Cat
Triumph Furniture Company
Bennets
Fenchurch
Ollie & Nic
Auto Windscreens
Cattles
JJB Sports
HPJ Jewelers
British Bookshops and Stationers 
Cruise
Balls Brothers
Suits You
Stokes
Confetti
Mad O'Roukes Pie Factory
Thoughts
Vergo Retailing
Fashionair
Laser Electrical
Labsport
Faith Shoes
Envy!
Not Only Shops!
Specialty Retail Group
Ethel Austin
Adili
Diamonds and Pearls
Adams
D2
Head
Virgin Cosmetics

Total store closures: 2469
Total job losses: 24,025

Stats from: http://www.retailresearch.org/whosegonebust.php 

Sorry you had to read all, that, I was just making a point! We've already had La Senza, Blacks Leisure and Past Times fail this year.

The high street is still very important to the economy of this country. It still employes tens of thousands of people up and down the UK. These are very valuable jobs in a time where having a job is increasingly considered a privilege. 

Maybe the high street is a bit dated. I think it still plays an important role in business. But maybe their presence should be in a different capacity. Improvements and changes obviously need to be made. Investment in the streets themselves to make them look more desirable would be a good start for the Government to make. Shops need updating, rents need to fall to ease the pressure on retail companies. Perhaps stores need to be integrated with their online portals more. Click and collect services for more stores will drive internet users through the doors to pick up their goods.


I'm not claiming to be an expert. Not like Mary, queen of shops! This was a clever little move by the Government. If anyone knows how to improve a high-street store then it's this clever lady. I'll be interested to see some of the ideas she's got and how she's going to put them into practice.