City-centre pubs and off-licences faring better than other retailers

Around 8 per cent of town and city centre pubs have closed since the start of the year - but that's better than any other high-street retailers when it comes to business closures.

Research firm the Local Data Company tracked 705 town and city centres across the country from the start of the year to the end of September and found that 25,090 businesses closed in that period – around 10 per cent of the total.

The fuigures show how each of the major retail groups have fared in relation to eachother - and pubs, bars, clubs and off-licences are afring better than any other retail sector in city and town-centres. Of the total of 25,090 closures, only 1,136 were  pubs, bars or clubs, representing a decline of 7.7per cent in this retail group. The 224 high street off-licences that closed represent 11.8 per cent of that segment.

Cafes, restaurants and fast food outlets fared worse with a 9.5 per cent decline (4,143 closures). The 506 department stores, mail order and shopping centres that closed representing 21.6 per cent of that segment. Womenswear and childrenswear shops experienced a closure rate of 17.9%.

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