Corner shops all out of natters

year used the cash to improve till systems. Meanwhile, one in five cut staff hours.

Chief executive James Lowman said: “Many retailers now have to strike a difficult balance between using technology to make their stores more efficient and retaining the personal touch the sector has been traditionally known for.”

The living wage hit corner shops hard when it rose in April from £7.20 an hour to £7.50 for staff aged 25 and over. A CHINWAG at the local corner shop is becoming a thing of the past as staff are replaced by self-service checkouts.

A study found owners of independent stores blame the move on soaring costs and the impact of the living wage – plus a speedy contactless card culture among the young, who do not stop to natter.

The Association of Convenience Stores said one in four corner shops that invested in their businesses over the past