U.K. Retail Closures Paint Bleak Picture for High Street

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. high street closures shot up in the first half of 2020 and, as the country moves toward a second lockdown, optimism around a ‘golden quarter’ for retailers in the final three months of the year is dwindling, according to PwC. Government restrictions could pose a further threat, especially in the leisure and hospitality industry, which is already struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic. Still, more than 5,000 stores opened this year -- the highest since 2017 -- offering some good news for the sector.

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