'It's just vape, nail, charity shops': Can anything save UK high street?

Rotherham shows how retail parks and out-of-town centres have drawn shoppers away from traditional high streets. Parkgate, opened in 1987, now attracts customers with large chains, plentiful free parking and easy car access; nearby Meadowhall offers another alternative. Nationally, retail parks had a record-low vacancy rate of 4.8% at the end of 2025, compared with 13% on high streets. In Rotherham, around 70 town-centre units - 24% - are empty, while vape, discount and charity shops are prominent. Some residents say they have not shopped in the centre for years.

Shopkeepers and locals describe a downward spiral involving weak footfall, tight household budgets, safety fears and parking costs. One retailer says customers, particularly older people, stay away because of theft, drug use and disorder; central Rotherham recorded 1,105 crimes in August. The council has reduced parking charges and offered some free parking, but traders say access remains a barrier. The decline also reflects changing retail habits: supermarkets now provide services once found on high streets, while large stores offer greater choice than smaller shops. Yet loyal customers rallied to save independent shop Yella Brick Road from closure. Its owner’s experience suggests the town centre still has supporters, but survival depends on understanding what people value and rethinking the purpose of a town centre beyond conventional shopping.