How many high street shops do you think won't recover?

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I saw someone in another thread say some of the high street stores won't recover from this but I can't think of any who are struggling financially except from Debenhams? Do you think many won't recover?

I think it will be the opposite, at least temporarily, as people will want to go out and about to shops and cafes and restaurants and get less delivered when this is over. We don’t appreciate things until we lose them so I think this might be a major wake up call to our society.

I think it depends how long this goes on for. But yes, I suspect therenwill be quite a few that don't recover. Especially as people have long memories, & once they find out how staff were treated, & how businesses behaved WRT risk of transmission of the virus, I think that some shops & businesses will be on people's shitlist for a pretty long time.

WH Smith will carry on like a cockroach in nuclear winter... it has no right to but it will!

@AwdBovril I think that will depend on employment figures. Unfortunately morals may become a luxury if people just need to earn.

I also agree with @GrumpyHoonMain - the ones that survive will very likely have a boom when things are back to normal.

I think that some shops & businesses will be on people's shitlist for a pretty long time

People have short memories in fairness

I didn't necessarily mean where people go to work, but where they choose to shop. After a period of relative austerity, during which people discover what they can manage without, some people might (hopefully) choose to vote with their feet and/or go without rather than always frequenting their usual shops.

People have short memories in fairness

Some do, some don't. Starbucks are still on my boycott list due to the 9/11 water charge.

I think lots won’t recover.
How can you loose half a year’s turnover and survive.
If there is a double peak which covers you he run up to Christmas more will close. Buying patterns may change to online permanently.
I run a retail business and am very pessimistic about the future.

Laura Ashley have called in receivers and Cath Kidston are reporting financial troubles.

John Lewis will probably have to shut stores permanently as well. ☹

I think some of it depends on if the on-line side of thigns can keep going.

People are going to be bored at home. They will shop on-line. Many stores that have an active on-line presences will weather the crisis through on-line sales.
Of course, the idea that delivery drivers our out and about delivering your new dress etc is less popular!

and it depends if you have a job. No money, none to spend on-line either

Some stores were in trouble long before covid. Laura Ashley, John Lewis, Cath Kidston.

I feel sorry for the staff if the stores go forever. But overall I hope people will realise they can live without so much stuff that shopping habits change and we become less materialistic, send less stuff to landfill (that's where majority of stuff we buy ends up) less destroying of rainforest etc.

Good things can come out of this terrible situation we are all in at the moment.

Arcadia Group, i.e. all your Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Burton, Wallis etc have been in major trouble for a while. I can't see that improving. Sorry for the people, not sorry for the owner (bye, Phillip, bye!)

Places like The Body Shop and Lush, Primark because no online presence.

Agree with grumpy it will be the 1920s all over again

Amb and where shall we employ the staff from those shops?

I think a lot of shops will suffer and be with us no more sadly. The High streets which were already looking sparse will be virtually non existent, at least for a while. They won't be able to keep paying rents and staff for months on end. Plus people just won't have the money to spend, even when we're out and about again I fear. I think there'll be the more predictable ones which have been struggling lately anyway, but also a few surprises as well.

WH Smith will carry on like a cockroach in nuclear winter... it has no right to but it will! Brilliant! ... and true.

Shops have spring lines in store that won't sell well in a few weeks time. If they can't re-open until July they will have all the summer stock that's already ordered to shift as well just as the lines would be changing to Autumn. And lots of customers will have been on reduced/zero income for months.

I think a lot of stores may go to the wall. I dont work in retail but in the supply chain for non essential stuff. Even with hmrc paying wages for 3 months it's quite possible we will close permanently. There will be a huge amount of people on reduced incomes so not sure there will be a big online spending spree. I need to buy ink for the printer for kids homeschooling but other than that it will be very much food/bare essentials.

As well as retail I think a lot of cafes, beauty salons etc wont be back.

As long as M&S survive all will be well in the world

Retail was dying slowly anyway. There's a whole website dedicated to listing all the high street stores closing day by day. I think pp has it right that people have been shocked by the potential lack of income and will be more parsimonious in future. I know I'm rubbish for random shopping of clothes eg but haven't bought anything unrelated to cv like food or school books since Jan.

It's really sad for smaller businesses - independent shops selling clothes, books, gifts etc. who were already only just about managing to suddenly lose weeks and weeks of sales. I just heard one of my favourite clothing brands has had to cease production of their clothes (they have some lines made in the UK) to protect their staff - this will have a huge negative impact on them.

Some will survive, people working from home will still be being paid so have money to spend when we can move around normally and bars,restaurants etc open. Self employed, laid off won't have the money. Key workers will be flat on their face and want to relax/sleep at home. Hopefully self employed will pick up business quickly, key workers will have the rest they will deserve. Things will pick up slowly. I'm not going to be buying unnecessary stuff from the internet as I was self employed but business dried up. Would rather spend my money on paying the mortgage and trying to feed my family.