High street shops had terrible 2024 with ‘drab’ December month as closures up by 28%
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HIGH street shops have had another terrible 12 months — with almost 13,500 closing for good. Around 37 a day shut in 2024, a 28 per cent rise on 2023 levels, according to the Centre For Retail Research. And the number of shoppers fell again, with December termed a “drab” month.
![[Almost 13,500 high street shops closed down for good in 2024]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/closed-empty-shop-town-high-919997867.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Total UK footfall over the year fell 2.2 per cent on 2023 while December saw shopper visits drop 2.5 per cent compared with the previous year, according to the British Retail Consortium's Sensormatic Footfall Monitor. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “A drab December which saw fewer shoppers in all locations capped a disappointing year for UK retail footfall.”.
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High streets and shopping centres were hit hardest as customers chose retail parks for free parking and the variety of larger stores. Ms Dickinson added: “Unfortunately, investment in town centres and high streets is held back by our outdated business rates system, which penalises them.”.
![[Sales at Lidl were up 7 per cent as turnover for December topped £1billion]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/retail-shop-lidl-london-lidl-870338979.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Northern Ireland had the biggest decline in footfall at 5.8 per cent, followed by Wales, down 2.6 per cent, England 2.1 per cent and Scotland 1.5 per cent. Last week, figures from analysts Rendle Intelligence suggested the festive period was “disastrous” for retailers, with footfall down 11.4 per cent on last year over the final full week before Christmas.
