'Our high street is full of coffee shops – where have all the independent stores gone?'

Christmas shoppers have revealed what they want to see more of in their high street to lure more people to their town.

Shoppers in Chelmsford, Essex, told Express.co.uk they want to see more independent shops in their town centre to restore its character and to compete with huge shopping centres such as nearby Bluewater and Lakeside.

Retired nurse, Andrea Garbutt, 76, who has lived in Chelmsford all her life, said: “We’re just a commuter town now. We are the county town and the character has gone.

“It’s all coffee shops and charity shops. One closes and another opens up… We’ve got no butcher’s or baker’s. We want more independent shops and less eateries. Planners seem to have taken the heart out of the town and put in what they think is modern and brilliant, but there’s nothing left.”

The comments came as figures showed consumers appear to be sticking to plans for a budget Christmas this year with retail spending remaining weak despite Black Friday. Total retail sales increased just 2.7 percent in November in a significant weakening on last November’s 4.2 percent uplift.

This was despite a push from retailers around Black Friday deals, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor.

Food and drink, health, personal care and beauty products continued to drive growth, while jewellery and watches saw the biggest decline in high street sales.

Retired beauty therapist Liz Bramwell, 72, said of Chelmsford’s town centre: “It’s a bit disappointing. There are too many coffee shops. It’s not as good as it used to be. Thirty years ago it was more vibrant.

“Out of town shopping centres have taken the guts out of city centres. We’ve got the shops we need… Online shopping has had a tremendous effect.”

Chelmsford’s high street has seen a number of changes with old favourites, such as BHS, Debenhams, Bolingbroke & Wenley and Wilko all having gone.

Others have taken their place, including The Range. While Bond Street, which is just off the High Street, has a John Lewis and a number of upmarket shops.

Self-employed gardener Bob Richardson, 63, from nearby Ingatestone, said “like high streets across the country”, Chelmsford’s has become “quite sad”.

He added: “People just don’t use the High Street. We’ve lost Debenhams, BHS – all the big department stores have gone, except John Lewis. There are too many chain restaurants and coffee shops. We need more independent shops.”

But Jessica Arber, a retired teaching assistant, said of Chelmsford’s retail offering: “We’re pretty well off compared to a lot of places. Is anywhere thriving at the moment? We’re reasonably thriving under the circumstances.”

Mother and daughter Cheryl Jacob, 71, and Beth Slade, 42, who were visiting Chelmsford from Leigh-on-Sea, praised the mix of outlets. Beth said a lot of the premises in her town are now boarded up, while Bond Street attracts a lot of people.

Mum Victoria Hernaman, 46, said: “I like that we have a wide range of shops. There are events throughout the year. When it’s busy and bustling it’s good fun.”

She added: “It’s a lovely town to live in. There’s lots of independent [shops]. People say there’s not enough, but you have to know where to look. Chelmsford still has that feeling of a town, it’s not a clinical, anonymous place.”

But the teacher said the area’s infrastructure will need a boost with lots of new housing going up in the area, including the new Beaulieu Park estate.

Despite Chelmsford town centre’s busy appearance, nationally, the cost-of-living crisis appears to be taking its toll on Christmas spending for many households as straitened finances test consumers’ resilience.

It has already been a weak Christmas trading period with two of the three months of the crucial golden quarter seeing sales growth below three percent.

Paul Martin, UK head of retail at KPMG, said as we look to the first few months of 2024, the UK can expect the challenges to continue which could lead to further casualties in the sector, particularly pure online players facing more than 28 months of consecutive sales decline.

Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and shoppers tightening their purse strings, pressures on the retail sector have ramped-up with almost half of small retailers experiencing falling revenue, and “rock bottom” confidence levels.

She added: “High street stores are battling high inflation, numerous bank branch closures and expensive town centre parking.

“A diverse mix of shops, hospitality, leisure and other facilities are very much the appeal of a successful high street – the better the offer, the better the footfall and the more likely they are to flourish.

“Having a number and variety of hospitality venues in a local high street will boost the attractiveness of its retailers as consumers pop in to make a purchase and have something to eat and drink.”

Ms McKenzie said more shops are succeeding with both a high street presence and a virtual, online front window with orders available 24-7.

She added: “The Chancellor (Jeremy Hunt) was right to extend a lifeline to our ailing high streets during the Autumn Statement, continuing the 75 percent retail, hospitality and leisure relief for a further year in England, and acting to help small businesses with premises through freezing the small business multiplier.”

Ms McKenzie said: “To improve confidence and spur economic recovery, we need policymakers to turn their attention to other changes like abolishing the rate relief rule that penalises small business expansion into additional premises and lifting the VAT threshold to £100,000.

“Local authorities should also capitalise on peak periods and provide free parking for those times, while investing in local road networks.”

Bringing back and expanding tax-free shopping at the Spring Budget would also help retailers around tourist hotspots, according to Ms McKenzie.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said retailers are banking on a last-minute “flurry of festive frivolity” in December and will continue working hard to deliver an affordable Christmas for customers.

But she warned: “Looking ahead to 2024, retailers will have to shoulder many new cost pressures, including a rise to business rates, as well as costs from other new regulations.

“These combined with the biggest rise on record to the National Living Wage will mean retailers will have less capital to invest in lowering prices for their customers.”