Recession on the High Street - Portas Towns

It is now a year since Mary Portas launched the government pilot scheme to revive the UK High Street.

12 towns were given an equal share of £1.2 to create more prosperous and diverse high streets.

Unfortunately in ten towns from this list more shops have closed than opened.

In total research shows that 700 units closed, and fewer than 600 opened in their place

Only two towns of the Portas 12 , Bedminster and Margate, added any shops. Research on this project was carried out by the Local Data Company, and has been widely reported in the UK Press this week. For more information try our Newsbank database.