The hair-raising change hitting our high streets

But it isn’t large chains that are thriving in the post-Woolworths wastelands.

Instead, it is small independent businesses offering personal service that are finding their niche as big-name retailers go to the wall.

A study by Which? reckons that hair salons, tattoo and piercing parlours and funeral directors are picking up the pieces in Britain’s changing town centres.

And that appears to be reflected locally.

“The salon is extremely busy and we have recently taken on new staff,” smiles Gavin Pulham, who owns the Toni&Guy hair salon in Shrewsbury.

In contrast to the received wisdom, he believes his business has benefited from the uncertainty in the wider economy.

“I have been in the hairdressing business for over 30 years and have been running salons in Shropshire for almost two decades so have weathered many economic storms.

“I’ve experienced this boom in business before – in tough, uncertain times people seem to spend money and time on themselves because when they look good they feel better.”

Traditional retailers certainly aren’t feeling the same warmth on their backs.

Thomas Cook, Toys R Us, Maplin, Comet have all gone to the wall, while House of Fraser, HMV and Game are just a few of the many well-known brands to have sailed close to the wind.

The reasons are well-documented – online shopping, rising costs and economic uncertainty have all conspired to lead retail into a pit of despair from which it does not look like escaping.

So high streets are no longer the carbon copies of one another, and are instead moving very slowly towards a return to the model of flourishing personal services, markets and food specialists that might have been familiar to the older generation.

Which? analysed almost 1.5 million Ordnance Survey records to compare Britain’s retail and services landscape from 2014 to 2019.

Of the 10 sectors that have seen an increase in premises on UK high streets, six are categorised as ‘eating out and services’, with the biggest increase since 2014 seen in banqueting and function rooms – which have risen by 114 per cent.

Markets are one of the few sectors categorised as a retailer in the top 10, and experienced an increase of 52 per cent between 2014 and 2019.

Tattooing and piercing services increased their presence on the high street by 44 per cent, cafes, snack bars and tea rooms by 35 per cent and hair and beauty services by 31 per cent.

Black Country funeral director Trevor E W Hickton, which recently won the Innovative Business Strategy Award at this year’s Funeral Planner of the Year Awards, is another business doing well in the region.

Founded in Cradley Heath, it also has branches in Halesowen, Bartley Green, Castle Bromwich and Wolverhampton.

Managing director Ross Hickton says funeral directors have been less susceptible to “broader” retail trends such as the move to online shopping creating greater competition.

“At the end of the day when someone has been bereaved, they still want to sit down with someone and talk through the details of the funeral. It just doesn’t work digitally or remotely,” he says.

“High streets are often ideal locations for funeral directors because of their central geography in most towns which provides a good catchment area.”

Being a millennial, the 29-year-old says he would much prefer to shop and do business with local independent businesses, rather than large chains.

“This is clearly happening now with – for example – small coffee chains, small independent eateries, restaurants and real ale breweries doing well,” he continues.

“In some instances, I would prefer to pay slightly more money to a small independent coffee shop, then a large cheaper high street named coffee shop.

“The fact hair and beauty salons, tattoo and piercing shops and funeral directors are all doing well is because generally these are owned by local people, and they are services you cannot purchase and receive online.”

Of the 10 hardest-hit sectors, only two offer personal services – fast food delivery services are down 50 per cent and internet cafes by 36 per cent. The rest are retailers.

The hardest hit sector was book and map sellers, the first to be hit by the rise of Amazon, which saw a reduction of 70 per cent over the five-year period.

Other sectors to suffer include computer shops, shops selling second hand supplies, electrical goods and components sellers, and art and antique stores.

High street has survived wars, recessions and the rise of out-of-town retail parks.

But whether the latest threats such as online shopping prove more than they can handle, or if high streets can adapt and survive, remains to be seen.

“In the future I see high streets as destinations for pamper experiences and venues to meet and enjoy the company of friends rather than places just to shop,” adds Gavin says.

“The two things you cannot buy on the internet are a good hair cut and a nice cup of coffee so that’s why established salons such as Toni&Guy and cafes are still so successful. In addition, there is definitely a trend for more residents to relocate into town centres.

“So I can see in five to 10 years' time more town centre retail spaces being converted into residential apartments and this will change the face of high streets, but not necessarily for the worse.”

Ross believes pop-up shops and restaurants can replace a lot of the empty premises found in town centres.

“In the next five to 10 years I can see some high streets doing well with the small independent businesses already mentioned. Innovative business ideas and concepts are working now and taking on the larger corporate chains.

“A lot of shopping is done online, however people still want to do business with people and certain services and items can’t be bought and delivered online. Pop up shops and restaurants can fill the void empty spaces on our high streets fill, and if success will turn in to a commercial venture.

“I can also see certain online retailers, the smaller brands, wanting a high street presence,” he adds.

Which? Magazine editor Harry Rose says: “While it’s concerning to have seen so many well-loved brands disappear from UK high streets in recent years, our research suggests the future of our town centres isn’t necessarily as bleak as the reports of store closures would have you believe.

“As shoppers needs and habits evolve, it’s vital that businesses keep up with these changing trends and consider how they can grow with them, in order to continue thriving on the high street.”