Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street

Familiar multiples like Boots, Burton’s, Marks & Spencer and Woolworth’s – plus a host of smaller chains – forged the character of Britain’s high streets in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Multiple retailing was a supremely successful phenomenon, loved by thrifty shoppers but feared by independent competitors. It is explored here through the lens of its shops and stores, which are generously illustrated with archive and modern photographs. These range from the Edwardian grandeur of Boots to the Art Deco splendour of Burton’s and the utilitarian post-war buildings of Littlewoods. Smaller chains are not neglected, even if all that survives are weathered signs or mosaic pavements.

The time is ripe for a study of chain stores. Britain’s retail giants have been under scrutiny since the shocking collapse of Woolworth’s in 2009, followed by BHS in 2016. Online shopping was already undermining bricks-and-mortar retailing when the COVID pandemic struck in 2020, accelerating the process. The recent demise of Debenhams, Arcadia, Wilko and others leaves vast empty premises in town centres nationwide. Our high streets are changing, but their legacy of chain-store buildings can play a constructive role in repurposing them for future generations.