Award-winning High Street 'struggling' say traders

Shop owners in Belper say the town is "a shadow of its former self" with shops being forced to close due to lack of customers.

The Derbyshire town won the best High Street in the Great British High Street awards in 2019, but retailers say trade has taken a downturn since then, with a number of businesses closing in the last 12 months alone.

The government and local councils say they are committed to supporting the High Street and measures have been put in place to provide support and attract more customers.

But traders say the help is not proving effective quickly enough to relieve the current pressure they face.

Laura Armstrong, who ran Strut Women clothes shop, said: "We closed in August.

"It just wasn't sustainable anymore so I moved my business online."

Alex Tribbensee, owner of Think Twice and co-director of Love Belper, which aims to support the town and its retailers, said: "It wouldn't be named High Street of the Year now, it's a ghost town.

"I wouldn't say the council has done anything to harm the town - but I'd also say they could do more to help us.

"It isn't promoted anywhere near as much as it should be.

"Three years ago I hardly sold anything online and didn't need to, really. Now, if I didn't do online, the shop wouldn't be here."

Stephanie Limbs, who owns Dormouse Books in Market Place, said: "The last few months have been particularly bad.

"I had a little tearful moment at the end of November.

"I didn't think it would get worse than when we opened just after the pandemic. But I was wrong.

"I do think the Budget played a large part in all of that. People put things on hold because they were all terrified of what might come.

"You have to ask, what sort of world do you want? Do you want to buy a book and keep your local bookstore or do you want to fund a billionaire by ordering everything online?"

Another retailer who did not want to be named said: "We made £78 in a week recently.

"I look down the street and there's hardly anyone there.

"I don't want to close but if this carries on much longer, I'll have no choice."

Belper Town Council: "We financially support organisations including Love Belper CIC, Belper Goes Green and Pride in Belper who also put on incredibly well organised and attended festivals and events in the town and bring visitors from far and wide, also providing positive exposure to the High Street."

A spokesperson for Amber Valley Borough Council said: "Like many town centres, Belper is adapting to long-term changes in how people use the High Street following the pandemic and wider economic pressures.

"Our focus is on supporting that change by bringing more reasons for people to visit and spend time in the town centre."

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "For too long, High Streets across the country have been overlooked and neglected.

"We're changing this by investing up to £5 billion in communities including £60 million across Derbyshire – with local people getting the power to transform their hometowns so we can restore pride in place."

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