SIR: re‘Two independent shops are set to close’(Chronicle, front page, April 12).

Since 2011 and on behalf of the Winchester BID, I have published a quarterly business ‘barometer’ report. The report monitors the performance of nearly 70 outlets, both national and independent, in the city centre.

The latest report, for January-March 2018, may help to inform the debate about the local retail scene. Here are some relevant statistics:

1. More than 40 per cent of outlets are taking ‘self-help’ initiatives to improve their results in an extremely difficult retail environment. They include innovative product ranges, special deals and promotions, a renewed emphasis on store management to provide excellent customer service and investments in technology to improve competitiveness and efficiency;

2. There is concern, expressed by 30 per cent of shop owners and managers, that Winchester is losing its appeal as a retail destination. There is a ‘lack of independent outlets and a lot of chain shops’ as you reported in your columns last November. Evidence suggests that 10 per cent of the outlets on the High Street are ‘independent’;

3. The severe winter weather has obviously affected High Street footfall. More than 20 per cent of stores reported footfall reductions of up to 40 per cent. Some 9 per cent reported increased footfall. National High Street footfall in the ‘non-food’ sector fell by 8.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2018;

4. The Winchester High Street shop vacancy rate of 3.1 per cent is far less than the national figure of 8.9 per cent reported by Springboard a few days ago;

5. To survive and prosper, Winchester’s retailers will need to supplement their physical presence with a strong on-line capability including ‘click and collect’. So far this year, UK, on-line non-food sales increased by 6.5 per cent. The comparable ‘in-store’ figure was a decline of 4 per cent. Winchester did rather better reporting ‘no change’;

6. Nine per cent of Winchester’s retailers are performing exceptionally well with increases in sales of at least 5 per cent ‘year on year’. Twelve months ago, 25 per cent of city centre stores were achieving that result.

There’s quite a lot to think about!

John Kind,

Alison Way,

Winchester