Published
Dec 9, 2020
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Primark research study claims physical stores can thrive but need help

Published
Dec 9, 2020

As Britain continues to worry about the future of its high streets, the boss of one fashion retailer that famously doesn’t sell online thinks physical shopping could still have strong prospects, but needs extra help.


Photo, Sandra Halliday



Primark commissioned Public First to research the issue and came to the conclusion that an extension of the business rates holiday, as well as relaxed Sunday trading laws could kick-start a post-pandemic recovery.

CEO Paul Marchant, writing in The Times, said that consumers are “desperate to see their towns and high streets thrive again, to make them places that people feel proud of once more”. But he added that they won’t thrive if left to their own devices and funding needs to be allocated to make it happen.

He said suggestions that physical shopping will always lose out to online are naive and that people still want to visit stores. But he said stores that are viable will need more help than the current temporary measures.

He called for a ‘zero VAT’ week after Easter when Covid-19 vaccination should be well under way or even completed, as well as a year-long liberalisation of Sunday trading hours, bus and car parking costs “adapted” to get people back into town centres, and a reduction and simplification of business rates.

This last issue has long been a bone of contention for physical store retailers who feel they carry a proportionately larger business rates burden than other companies.

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