The phrase “death of the high street” has become such a cliché that it risks sounding like the moan of a nostalgic uncle who misses Woolworths and frets about the demise of the local butcher. But clichés exist for a reason – and when the House of Lords built environment cross-party committee spends months investigating the plight of our town centres – concluding that they are under existential threat – and the government responds with a mixture of vague support and “watch this space” promises, then it is clear we are not crying wolf.

This is a crisis that has been a long time in the making. Online retail, out-of-town shopping parks, changing consumer habits, and – let’s not forget – a global pandemic that shuttered stores for months at a time have collectively bludgeoned high street footfall.