A net total of 804 locally run retailers opened in first half of 2021 while 5,251 chain stores went bust
Independent retailers and food outlets are stepping into the gaps left by chain stores on the UK’s high streets, retail parks and in shopping centres, driving the first rise in their numbers in four years.
A net total of 804 locally run convenience stores, barbers, bakers, cafes and fast-food joints opened in the first half of 2021, according to the latest review of the market by analysts at the Local Data Company (LDC).