What will your high street look like after the ‘Retail apocalypse’?
With the demise of department stores not much time is taken to think of the impact this could have on small businesses in Portsmouth.
Last year Debenhams were forced to close down a third of its stores across the UK, one of them in Palmerston Road.
More recently, Sainsbury’s Local in London Road and Thomas Cook in Commercial Road have shut their doors.
This has resulted in some smaller businesses following suit, adding to the number of empty units in the area.
Mike Cherry, Federation of Small Businesses Chairman, said: ‘It’s clear the pressure is mounting.’
As the potential decline in footfall across all three areas could make it harder for small businesses to survive, Mike Cherry believes it’s now time for something to be done.
‘We’re calling on the Government to take control of the situation and, working with local authorities, take the pressure off struggling high street businesses.
‘Small businesses can help give our high streets a new and exciting future.
‘It will take central government, councils, community groups, businesses and consumers to come up with real solutions.’
