Chesterfield’s retail sector lost hundreds of jobs long before Covid-19, new figures show

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 5,320 people were employed in retail jobs in Chesterfield in 2018 – the most recent period with available data.

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In 2015, the figure was 6,150 – meaning a total of 830 retail jobs have been lost in the area over three years.

The high street encountered a number of struggles well before Covid-19 arrived, including a rise in consumers staying at home and shopping online.

Just over two-thirds of local authorities across Great Britain saw a decline in retail employment between 2015 and 2018, the ONS figures show.

In positive developments more recently, however, the leader of Chesterfield Borough Council told the Derbyshire Times that ‘thousands’ of shoppers had returned to Chesterfield town centre since lockdown restrictions were relaxed in June.

Councillor Tricia Gilby said: “We have been monitoring the high street closely and we are pleased with the resilience shown by our traders with 86 per cent now open for business.

“We are aware that nationally there have been shop closures experienced on every high street – however, we are pleased to see early signs of recovery with a number of new independent shops opening on our high street, which we warmly welcome.”

Nationally, a number of firms have announced job cuts and shop closures due to the economic impact of the pandemic, which has seen the UK nosedive into the largest recession on record.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said although there was a growth in retail sales over June and July as businesses reopened following lockdown, many stores ‘continue to struggle’ with a decline in footfall, with many people still reluctant to head to the shops.

“The fragile economic situation continues to bear down on consumer confidence, with some retailers hanging by only a thread in the face of rising costs and lower sales,” she added.

A Government spokesperson said: “We’ve taken unprecedented and targeted action with our Plan for Jobs to support people and businesses through the pandemic.”

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