The future of the British high street has faced growing uncertainty in recent years. The lasting impact of the pandemic, changing shopping habits and the closure of well-known retailers have left some town and city centres with vacancy rates of around one in five shops. Yet despite these challenges, 66% of Brits still visit their local high street at least once a week.
So, with some shopping destinations thriving while others continue to struggle, which UK city officially has the best high street for shopping?
To find out, small business credit card experts at Capital on Tap analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of indicators, including retail density, vacancy rates, business activity, footfall and local spending power, to reveal which cities have the UK’s most thriving high streets, and which are facing the greatest challenges.
You can view the full study here: https://www.capitalontap.com/en/blog/posts/the-british-high-street-report/
The top ten best UK cities for a shopping trip
| Rank | City | Number of active retail businesses per sq kilometre | Share of high street services vacant (%) | Business Birth-to-Death Ratio | Monthly Retail footfall change in the past year (%) | GDHI* |
| 1 | London | 27.5 | 7.4% | 1.16 | 4.76 | £25,739 |
| 2 | Manchester | 26.7 | 10.5% | 1.24 | -6.46 | £16,814 |
| 3 | Glasgow | 13.3 | 11.7% | 1.21 | -3.5 | £17,463 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 14.3 | 9.5% | 1.15 | -6.46 | £16,201 |
| 5 | Brighton and Hove | 17.0 | 9.2% | 1.04 | -10.41 | £20,887 |
| 6 | Leicester | 24.8 | 13.4% | 1.20 | -8.56 | £14,540 |
| 7 | Edinburgh | 5.2 | 9.3% | 1.03 | -3.5 | £21,044 |
| 8 | Blackpool | 15.2 | 17.6% | 1.28 | -6.46 | £17,566 |
| 9 | Nottingham | 12.1 | 11.7% | 1.22 | -8.56 | £16,019 |
| 10 | Reading | 15.7 | 10.9% | 1.02 | -10.41 | £21,578 |
*GDHI = Gross disposable household income per capita.
Maybe unsurprisingly, London ranks as the UK’s best city for shopping, thanks to its high concentration of retail businesses (27.5 per km²), the strongest consumer spending power (£25,739 gross disposable household income per capita) and the lowest vacancy rate among the top-ranked cities (7.4%). It also stands out as the only city in the top rankings to record positive retail footfall growth (+4.76%), highlighting the continued strength and resilience of its high streets despite wider challenges facing UK retail.
Manchester ranks second overall, with retail footfall falling by 6.46% over the past year, which is a smaller decline compared to many other UK cities, indicating greater resilience in consumer footfall. The city also boasts one of the highest concentrations of retail businesses (26.7 per km²) and the strongest business birth-to-death ratio (1.24) among the top three, reflecting a thriving and growing high street economy.
Lastly, Glasgow rounds out the top three in the ranking. The city records a strong business birth-to-death ratio of 1.21, meaning more businesses are opening than closing, while consumer spending power stands at £17,463 per person. In terms of footfall, its store fronts have declined by just 3.5% over the past year, less than many other UK cities, highlighting the resilience of its high streets.
Photo by Huy Phan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/commercial-alley-in-london-england-17160732/
Leave a Reply