Christmas markets aren’t enough to save our high street retailers

A weekend afternoon tour of Kingston upon Thames, one of our main shopping centres, revealed a worrying picture, writes Chris Blackhurst

People may part with their cash in return for food and drink, but ignore the shops (Getty)

Tis the season to be jolly... unless, it seems, you’re a traditional high-street retailer. This is the busiest time of the year for our shopkeepers, the period when they bring in more than the other months combined. In which case, you can but fear for them.

A weekend afternoon tour of Kingston upon Thames, one of our main shopping centres – its landmark stores, back in the day, serving the whole of Surrey and southwest London – revealed a worrying picture.

Three large outlets were busy, with queues of customers. They were TK Maxx, the clothing and furnishings discounter, Primark, the budget fashion seller, and the Apple Store. Another was doing a notably brisk trade and that was Waterstones bookshop.