The Death of the High-Street

The world of shopping is constantly changing but has the high-street hit an all-time low?

Since the pandemic started, shops have struggled to stay open and continue their business as usual.

The multiple lockdowns affected so many businesses that some have had no choice but to close down indefinitely such as Beales, Mothercare, Debenhams and many more.

But the online shopping world has bloomed throughout as many converted online to continue sales and make a profit.

82% of people now shop on-online which has increased by 53% within 10 years.

Julie Cook, journalist and online-only shopper said: “I have fond memories of shopping with friends as a young woman but when I had my children it wasn’t conductive for me anymore.

“I quickly found ordering online so much easier and better for my lifestyle.

“Unless stores do something drastic to change, yes there will be empty streets. The high street will probably be a thing of the past which saddens me.”

Although, others believe the high street is essential for certain groups of people.

Jessica Williams Sales assistant at Next said: “I don’t think stores should entirely move online, we need them to survive and people such as the older generation may struggle with such a change.

“It gives them a chance to get out the house and see people, even strangers. But technology sometimes can be very difficult and will cause restrictions to some.”

The pandemic has caused so much uncertainty for many workers, creating a moral panic around losing jobs and being left struggling.

Rebecca Goss, Primark sales advisor expressed: “We are on constant edge, never knowing where we stand with our jobs is very scary.

“Sites such as Amazon have taken over and constantly expanding. Amazon fresh; an online grocery store is an example of this.

“If customers can get everything online from the comfort of their home then they probably will choose to do that. But when there’s companies such as Primark with no online presence it is a risk, and the company has suffered a great loss.”

A survey showed 64% of people prefer to shop online.

Could this become the new ‘normal’?