Is retail still alive where you live?

I’m in London so there are two shopping parades within half a mile of each other, both REALLY successful. There isn’t a vape shop/phone unlocking shop in either of the two though you can definitely buy vapes in the newsagent.

In the one closest to me there’s a greengrocers/bakers/butchers/gift shop/chip shop/kebab shop (a really nice one)/the library/2 pharmacists/2 nail shops/a posh beauty salon/2 hairdressers/local DIY shop/florists/4 cafes/2 pubs/2 dry cleaners/a betting shop/an undertakers/2 estate agents and an M AND S Food.

I never have to go further for anything, once or twice a year I drive to Ikea or b and Q 10 minutes away.

I live fairly far out and it feels like we still live in the 1950s. Plenty of retail. Teenagers still have jobs.

Our little village isn't bad: bakers, florist, pet shop, dry cleaners x 2, hairdressers x 2, estate agents x 3, beauticians x 2, plus burgeoning: physios, chiropractor, alternative therapies, etc. No banks. Mini sainsburys, dress shop, bag shop, children's shop, ciuntless restaurants and tea shops and a wedding dress shop. Would love a butcher.

Our market town, except for: M&S, Rituals, Waitrose, Oliver Bonas, an independent jeweller, and indeoendent furniture store and Clarks, is now dreadul. Primark has replaced House of Fraser and outside the shopping centre its all 2nd hand phone shops, B&M, barbers and general sh1t. Oh and a lone Waterstones. It's a downhill Slalom. Banks, BS's, estate agents and a couple of dodgy pubs.

Our town centre has been in decline for years even the budget shops Poundland,pound stretcher and most of the banks have disappeared,it's just pretty much a walkthrough now for the ferry across to Portsmouth

Local city still has a reasonable range of shops though the closure of Debenhams left a big hole. But retail seems to be thriving on the various out of town shopping centres.

The town that I live in as far as I know is now pretty dire but if I need local shops I go to the town next door, it’s actually closer to me and there are most of the things I’d need in a hurry. Haven’t been into my local town for about 2 years at least, there’s still a Boots, a specsavers, a McDonald’s (actually a myriad of fast food and a few independents on the outskirts which I have been to), wh smiths or whatever it is now and a trespass. Maybe still peacocks and the works but I can’t be sure!
used to (and I’m going back 20 years) have a big M&S, Next, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, New Look, Argos, Clinton’s, Faith (shoe shop?!), Topman, multiple sports shops including some specialist ones and multiple independents.

Local city is a tourist and foody spot so is still busy but with less shops, village I live in thrives with independents (and charity shops), artisan market monthly, a couple of local towns are emptied and scruffy, although one is being redeveloped in areas. Towns were ruined here by a couple of (hugely busy) retail parks

I live in a wee semi-rural town in the hills of Scotland about an hour from a city. The town is considered affluent and as such there are a range of independent annoyingly high end cafes, bistros, home stores, gift shops and children’s shops on our little high street. But they are starting to struggle because people here seem to be cutting back on those luxuries and opting for l cheaper options and prioritising their 3/4 holidays a year and running their teslas and Audi 4x4s. I would love just a simple cafe that did simple affordable spuds and toasties, soups, pancakes etc.
Edinburgh princes street is half dead and historic empty buildings burnt down. Just the indoor shopping centre or retail park seem to be thriving now.

My small towns high street is dire. We have a: Lidl, Poundland, Greggs, Superdrug, 2 x Turkish barbers (which are always empty), 3 x Vietnamese nail salons (which are always busy), Polish grocery store, clothes shop (which sells tacky wholesale outfits and fake designer bags), a few charity shops and 2 x bookies.

We had a green grocers, many butchers, a seamstress/tailors, cobblers, good clothes shops, that all closed down now.

Large supermarket superstores, retail parks and shopping centres (which are always busy) and Amazon have destroyed small town high streets.

It definitely is - such a brilliant place to visit (or live). So much to do, so many places to eat, drink, and shop, and really friendly. In a world of increasingly homogeneous towns and cities, when you’re in Liverpool, you know you’re in Liverpool.

Well our local big shopping centre has been like the week of Christmas since pay day. The traffic was terrible , it was posted all over social media how crazy busy it was so there must be shops to attract the customers.

However, the high st is dead as a door nail. They've spent hundreds of thousands of £s on a new seating area in the market place and the pigeons use it more than shoppers. They've invested millions to bring the tram into town and the building works have just killed the town completely.. There's no shoppers and no shops to tempt them back. No clothes shops apart from charity shops , it's absolutely dire for the high st but the shopping centres are dry and I've noticed over the past 5 years more older people are moving away from the high st and now they can use their passes before 9.30am they can travel that little bit further.

The high streets need massive investment from big shops and low rates from the council's to attract the businesses back but I can't see it happening anytime soon.

Yes, we're in London z2 and the high street is rammed at weekends, and still very busy through the week. Not many empty units, some businesses close down but are quickly let out again. No free parking, everyone is happy using the tube or buses. It gets busy just walking to do errands or to kids activities but it's good to be somewhere thriving and not depressingly run down.

South West Scotland, same as most others. Take aways/cafés, including 3 franchised ones that were never needed, hairdressers/barbers, more than one phone/vape shop in a town barely big enough for one. We still have two butchers, bakers, a part time fishmonger and one clothes shop. There are a few small independent specialist shops but the owners are getting on and they will close down when they retire. Empty units everywhere and derelict buildings. We've even had pubs close down in recent years, still not a shortage.

Outskirts of Liverpool here and business is booming! Local retail parks to me ( nearest is Prescot ) is rammed as are all of the other ones within a few miles.

our local area is pretty busy too.
Liverpool city centre is fantastic!

Our village was doing ok, had a spar shop, butchers, post office, newsagents, and chemist. Then a big co op opened up and all the others closed down within a few months as it was the other end of the village so sucked in all the shoppers.

Turkish barbers and vape shops and all sorts of fast food outlets, many with zero hygiene ratings.

A lot of retail stores have been replaced by food outlets.

Very much so. I live in the centre of Leeds and it’s always rammed.

Large town in NE Scotland
5 vape/minimart shops - already been raided several times for selling dodgy fags but still open
4 Turkish barbers
Several other empty shops

Nowhere at all to buy clothes

Our town is booming for retail with new (mostly fairly upmarket) shops opening semi regularly.

My town is a shopping magnet - one of the top retail areas in the country (we have a John Lewis and a fancy department store). But so many of what were shops are now fast food joints. Real shops close down and invariably a chicken place opens up.

Same. Town full of empty units, and people staggering about on spice.
It is like something from The Walking Dead.

The city centre isn't up to much but the village a mile from me has a couple of nice cafés, a bakery and a lovely butchers and greengrocer, as well as a card and gift shop and a post office. Parking charges except for Sunday were brought in last year and the locals are too tight to pay £1 so they park illegally or dangerously all over the village. The greengrocer even pays for your parking if you spend £15.

My suburb has picked up. It's only a small parade, but now has more useful shops than a few years back.

The city centre looks like it's been hit by a zombie invasion.

I live in a small town in Scotland, we have two Butchers, a Bakers, a Fishmongers, a Greengrocers and plenty of local restaurants and cafes.