Welcome to the week I never thought would arrive. The week when the High street re-opened, celebrated in this week’s special Amanda Zips It Up.
I’ve been out and about in my home town of London for the past few days, discovering the joys of shopping again after the darkness of the past year.
This is the statement emblazoned in huge letters on the side of one of the most famous department stores in the world, in Europe’s busiest shopping area – Selfridges on Oxford Street.
Over the past year, consumers have been forced to alter the way they shop, with many turning to online retailers. Now, as stores are allowed to reopen, what’s left on London’s most famous shopping street?
Walk the entire length of Oxford Street, noting down all of the defunct stores, and you will find that 28 out of 212 shops – over 13% – are either boarded up or their occupants have clearly left for the last time.
Topshop, at the heart of Oxford Street, is probably the most famous casualty. If you peek through the windows, you’ll see a few undressed mannequins – a far cry from Topshop’s heyday, when supermodel Kate Moss drew huge crowds to the store.
But Topshop is not alone: Debenhams and Evans are further brands that have closed for good. Many other companies have consolidated their store portfolios on the street – gone are the days where brands would have multiple outlets along the 1.2-mile (2km) stretch of road. Next, River Island and Boots have one flagship store, whereas before the pandemic they had two or three.
By comparison, the only shop boarded up on Regent Street is US fashion store J Crew, which closed before the pandemic. On Bond Street there are a few boarded-up stores, but mainly at the point where it connects with Oxford Street. The “luxury” end of Bond Street, full of fashion brands such as Chanel, Dior and Versace – it remains unscathed.
For the time being, shops in England will be allowed to stay open until 22:00, six days a week, the government has said.
So, get out there people and shop until you drop. We owe it to our beleaguered country.
