"Up and down Britain there are boarded-up shops. Banks and department stores have been replaced by vape shops, barbers and bookmakers. Shoplifting is at a record high, local services cut, and public frustration is mounting. Politically, high street decline is perfect campaign fodder for Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Research shows support for Reform is higher in places with the biggest rise in persistent high street vacancy rates."
"Across the UK in 2024 almost 13,000 shops about 37 a day pulled down their shutters for good. Closures have been most pronounced in the north of England, the Midlands and deprived coastal towns where Reform ran Labour closest at the general election. In-depth polling by YouGov and researchers at Faster Horses shows 62% of voters considering backing Reform think their local area is in decline."
"It's just soul destroying to watch your local area turn to shit, one focus group participant told the researchers. For many, this decay reflects the country at large. Britain has gone to the dogs, with its best days in the past despite the promises of successive Tory and Labour governments to turn things around. For millions, levelling up has not materialised. Why not give someone else a try?"
Boarded-up shops are widespread across Britain, with banks and department stores replaced by vape shops, barbers and bookmakers. Shoplifting has reached record levels, local services have been cut, and public frustration is rising. Almost 13,000 shops closed across the UK in 2024, roughly 37 per day, with closures concentrated in the north of England, the Midlands and deprived coastal towns. Areas with the largest rises in persistent high street vacancies show higher support for rightwing populist parties such as Reform UK. Visible retail decline shapes perceptions of community erosion and has become a driver of populist political support.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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