Stores total down 3,200

THE number of shops has fallen by 3,200 since 2015, a drop of 1.2% to 263,000.

And the toll of those who have gone bust will be higher as the Office for National Statistics figures do not include sites taken over by another retailer.

Scotland’s fall was 900 to 21,995 and the largest in England was 495 to 23,530 in the South West.

This “reinforces the need” to cut business rates, said the British Retail Consortium, a key demand of the Mirror High Street Fightback campaign.