ALL THE HIGH

NEARLY a million jobs have been lost in the retail sector since the last Woolworths stores closed their doors 10 years ago today.

The loss of the iconic shops marked the start of a decline that has left the high street on its knees, with town centres across the country unable to fill the void a decade later.

Since Woolworths shut 112,405 stores have closed in the UK with the loss of 876,760 jobs, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

With up to 22,000 stores forecast to close this year, meaning a loss of nearly 140,000 jobs, this will take the total to more than a million since the last Woolworths store closed on January 6, 2009.

Last year major names like Toys R Us, Maplins and Poundworld went bust, with House of Fraser and Debenhams now facing an uncertain future.

Music chain HMV also entered administration for the second time after poor festive sales.

Increased online competition combined with soaring business rates and rents have also seen smaller, independent retailers go out of business at an alarming rate.

Figures from the Centre for Retail Research show that 18,443 stores closed in 2018 with the loss of 110,658 jobs.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, from the centre, said: “We did not realise it at the time but Woolworths going was the start of the crisis still gripping the high street.

“It was such a massive feature of the high street that it left gaps which still have not been filled, in a way that losing House of Fraser and Debenhams also will.

“Because it was the first major chain it went into the high streets of small towns that cannot hope to now attract stores of that size.”

Frank Winfield Woolworth opened his first store in New York in 1878, which quickly shut before opening his first successful store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with his brother Charles in 1879.

They opened their first Woolworths store in the UK in 1909 on Church Street in Liverpool, selling children’s clothing, stationery and toys.

Due to changing consumer preferences and demands the 807 Woolworths stores in the UK went into administration in November 2008, with the loss of 27,000 jobs.

The last 200 of these stores closed a decade ago today, exactly a century after the first Woolworths store opened in the UK in Liverpool.

As a result, a total of 79,220 retail jobs in all sectors were lost in 2008 despite only 3,730 stores closing.

This continued with more than 12,000 store closures in 2012, 2013 and 2014, before the high street had a temporary resurgence in 2015, followed by three years of marked decline reaching a crisis last year.

Professor Bamfield said: “In the last 10 years many other multiple store retailers have gone from the high street but the closure of Woolworths was the start. I still think it could have been saved, though whether it would have had a long-term future is more questionable.”

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers’ Association, has warned the lack of a busy festive season could see more shop closures before Government relief starts in April.

He said: “We are encouraged that the Government is now recognising the problems faced by retailers by introducing a 30 per cent discount on business rates and a retail development fund, but this support is not available until April 2019.

“The harsh reality is that a poor festive period for business will result in many more shop closures before the extra help is available.”

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “We recognise that 2018 was a particularly challenging year for many retailers, confronted by rapidly changing consumer demand and the rise of online spending. That is why we are taking measures to support high street stores across the country and reduce the burden of business rates.

“The Budget saw business rates relief cut small retailers’ bills by a third – building on over £10billion of business rates support since 2016.

“We also announced last month the £675million Future High Streets Fund to help improve access to high streets, put historic buildings back into use and make town centres fit for the future.”