[tweetiepooh]

Local/small retailers need help with rent more than anything. If the units are all owned by big organisations that just want the income and keep increasing the rents it's only the larger players that can afford it and mostly they stay because other big players are there or it's linked with entertainment/food outlets.

But to really work shops, whatever size, need to value add. It's no good having a physical outlet just shifting the same stuff you can buy on-line cheaper and more easily. Smaller retailers can often do this better as they tend to specialise more and hire staff that know their stuff. They value add by providing detail and advice before purchase and great support afterwards even sometimes at their own cost, in the end it become more profitable because you get a great reputation.

One further problem for small shops at the moment is their very size. Archery shops I know of are reopening but by appointment only, and Saturday slots are like gold dust. And videos of shops with ranges show much reduced capacity and "freedom".