[Margaret Pilkington]

Things are not going to get better anytime soon, in fact we are likely to see the demise of more shops when the new business rates are applied.
The loss of shops will be detrimental to those who cannot, for whatever reason get to the large out of town areas to shop...those who cannot shop online...and there are still a number of people who do not have access to the Internet.
Once the shops are gone the Internet companies who supply goods will have the shopper by the short and curlies.