Indie businesses in the UK are voicing their concerns about the sluggish recovery of the high street, despite the reopening of retail. Smaller traders are far from satisfied with the pace of revival and are urging the government to take action. The campaign group Save The Street (STS) is particularly worried about the fate of the independent retail sector, as recent figures have renewed fears.
A straw poll conducted by retail space platform Appear Here and Save The Street found that almost half (48%) of retailers were disappointed with the footfall level since they reopened on 12 April. Furthermore, more than a quarter (26%) expressed doubts about the survival of their businesses if shopper numbers did not recover to pre-pandemic levels. If footfall fails to rebound fully, 16% of retailers estimated they would only be able to stay afloat for between one and three months. STS warns that urgent action is needed to encourage consumers to support their local shops in order to prevent many independent retail businesses from closing down.
Interestingly, 77% of those surveyed expressed their support for a Shop Out to Help Out-style scheme. Ross Bailey, CEO of Appear Here and founder of Save The Street, has put forward a proposal for another incentive scheme specifically for small high street shops, similar to last year’s Eat Out To Help Out initiative for the hospitality sector. The proposal suggests that the government covers 50% of the cost of purchases made at independent retailers, up to a maximum of £10. Save The Street emphasizes the importance of independent stores, highlighting that every £1 spent with them generates an additional 63p of benefit for the local economy, compared to just 40p generated by large firms. The campaign group is urgently calling on the chancellor to revisit their stimulus proposal and do everything possible to save independent shops, which are at the heart of Britain’s local communities.
However, one month after the reopening of non-essential retail, concerns are growing as disappointing shopper numbers, compounded by poor weather conditions, suggest that the recovery of the UK high street is taking longer than anticipated. STS points to data from Springboard, which reveals that two weeks after the reopening of non-essential shops, footfall at UK high street destinations dropped by 6.1% compared to the previous week. When compared to the same week in 2019, before the pandemic hit, all retail footfall was down 26%. These figures underscore the need for immediate action to ensure the survival of independent businesses and the overall recovery of the high street.
For more information on the situation facing independent retailers in the UK, visit [link1](https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56842583) and [link2](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/apr/25/uk-shoppers-high-street-launch-campaign-to-save-indies-retail-sector).
