57 of 264 stores on Oxford Street already permanently shut with annual revenue falling to below £2billion
More than 50,000 retail and hospitality jobs set to be lost when third lockdown ends, industry group claims
New West End Company has warned the globally unique West End ecosystem is beginning to break down
It claims West End has suffered tougher financial hit from coronavirus pandemic than any other part of UK
Boohoo has bought collapsed department store group Debenhams for £55m but will shut all remaining stores
Deal confirms Debenhams brand will disappear from high street after 242 years with up to 12,000 job losses
Boss Mahmud Kamani in battle with Amazon as he wants to dominate homeware and beauty as well as clothes
His son and PrettyLittleThing founder, Umar Kamani, says the family used to make weekly trips to Debenhams
Retail sales have plummeted by the largest amount since records began as the coronavirus pandemic paralysed the shopping sector.
A cycle of lockdowns and harsh restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 have seen High Streets decimated.
Today the Office for National Statistics said sales were down 1.9 per cent, the biggest slump since figures started being collated in 1996.
There was a slight 0.3 per cent rise in sales during December, but this was not enough to save the year.
The high street has been decimated by the strict restrictions and lockdowns this year
Normally busting parts of London remained abandoned this week under strict lockdown