CHESTER has been named as one of the UK's leading shopping locations in spite of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, new research has revealed. The research puts Chester, which has climbed 26 places compared to last year's rankings, as the number one retail centre in the North West region. Chester also bucked the trend with regards to the performance of major city centre shopping destinations. Many city centre locations dominated the 2019 rankings but have been replaced by more local shopping centres in prosperous areas that provide convenience and essential product categories. The research states: "The North West is the only region where a city centre location has been ranked the most vital retail centre in the region – Chester."