The future of the high street: two-tier shopping

Sam Jordan and Baber Smith

The imminent ‘death of the high street’ has been predicted in the UK for decades. Now, the continued growth of online retail has been joined by the recession to deliver what some believe might be the fatal blow.

The future of the high street: two-tier shopping

Sam Jordan

It seems as though the 'death of the high street' has been hanging over the UK retail industry for decades.

In the 1970s and 1980s, it was the threat of the shopping malls that were establishing themselves throughout the country. Then it was the launch of out-of-town superstores, such as Tesco Extra, that people felt would signal the end for the high street. In the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s, we have had the internet revolution and the promise of everything being cheaper and easier online.

Now, the continued...

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