Welcome to boarded-up Britain: One in eight shops now stand empty as recession hits high streets

The number of empty shops blighting our high streets has trebled since the start of the credit crunch, it was revealed yesterday.

A report shows 12.4 per cent of shops in town centres are empty, compared to 4 per cent in the summer of 2007.

In some towns and cities a quarter of shops lie vacant as the recession has exacerbated the effect of other problems, such as rising rents and the growth of out-of-town shopping centres.

Epitomising the trend is Victoria Street in Wolverhampton, with boarded-up shops apparently outnumbering those still open. (more)