‘Malls will empty’ as UK retail faces grim summer

Retail experts say that so many shops could close this summer that some British shopping streets and malls could be left virtually empty. The miserable forecast follows the collapse of the homeware chain Habitat and that of Homeform, owners of Dolphin Bathrooms and Moben Kitchens.

Other high street names on the verge include fashion chain Jane Norman, which will go into administration unless a buyer is found within days, and Clinton Cards, where a radical restructuring is expected to lead to many of its 700 outlets closing, or worse. Kesa, the French owner of Comet, is weighing up "strategic alternatives".

The retailers are in trouble because of the shift of many consumers to internet shopping and the big drop in people moving home and wanting to refurnish. But there's also the general slump in consumer confidence and the fact that some chains over-expanded during the boom and took on too much debt.

Nick Moser, head of insolvency at the international law firm Taylor Wessing, said: "I would be amazed if others were not on the brink of insolvency."

Read a full report at the Sunday Times ·