The British high street is experiencing a severe, long-term decline, with over 11,000 shops closing in 2020 alone and thousands more in 2025, according to The Guardian.
Whilst high street stores come and go. Some remain in the public consciousness for longer than others. From the UK perspective, what are the stores that many of the general population wish to see return?
This year – 2026 – has already seen various high street names go into administration, from Claire’s to Quiz clothing, various household names are struggling to compete in the ever competitive retail space, and 2026 is looking to be another challenging year for the sector.
As more stores shut down nationwide, the firm the Liquidation Centre has analysed search data to reveal which former brand names consumers want to see back on our high streets in 2026, as well as providing advice for current retailers on how to stay relevant in a competitive market.
Top Ten High Street Brands Consumers Want Back in 2026
| Rank | Retailer | Average Monthly Search Volume (UK) |
| 1 | Debenhams | 415,000 |
| 2 | Dorothy Perkins | 40,000 |
| =3 | Thorntons | 24,000 |
| =3 | Cath Kidston | 24,000 |
| 5 | Woolworths | 15,000 |
| 6 | Toys R Us | 11,000 |
| 7 | BHS (British Home Stores) | 8,500 |
| 8 | Mothercare | 7,700 |
| 9 | Blockbuster | 6,200 |
| 10 | JJB Sports | 3,500 |
Looking at the top three from the table:
Debenhams
Debenhams is the retailer that most consumers want to see back on their high streets, with a huge 415,000 average monthly online searches. Boohoo bought the brand and its website in 2021, but didn’t buy its high street stores, which eventually closed down. Fans of the brand may be pleased to hear that Boohoo has changed its name to Debenhams, reviving the popular 247-year-old brand. Unfortunately, though, physical stores are not expected to make a comeback, as the chief executive stated it will be ‘Britain’s online department store’.
Hunt observes: “The combination of failing to adapt to shifting consumer habits towards online shopping alongside the financial impact of Brexit and the pandemic contributed towards Debenhams financial strain. However, their issues began years prior to these events, with the company carrying unsustainable debts due to poor financial decisions. Their online-only comeback is exciting for many fans, but it also serves as a stark reminder of their failure to compete effectively on the high street amid a changing market.”
Dorothy Perkins
The data suggests that consumers want to see Dorothy Perkins back on their high streets, as the brand amasses 40,000 UK monthly searches on average. The Debenhams brand was acquired by Boohoo group in 2021, excluding the physical stores, which were lost. This followed the collapse of its former owner, Arcadia Group, which fell into administration in 2020. As a result, all of the brands previously owned by Arcadia were sold off by administrators to online retailers including ASOS and Boohoo in 2021.
Hunt comments: “Dorothy Perkins, part of Arcadia Group, is another example of a traditional retailer acquired by online giants like Boohoo. Despite undergoing a CVA (Company Voluntary Agreement) to repay debts and avoid liquidation, the company’s failure to compete with fast-growing online retailers, combined with a changing market landscape and high overheads, led to crippling financial issues, which ultimately led to the downfall of the business.”
Thorntons and Cath Kidston
Thorntons has taken third spot in 2026 with 24,000, a move up from fifth in the 2025 study. Following the impact of COVID-19 and shifts to online and e-commerce demand, the high street retailer saw declining profits, ultimately leading to the permanent closure of its stores in March 2021.
Hunt observes: “Thorntons was exposed to high fixed costs, particularly rent and staffing, during a period when footfall on UK high streets was in decline and consumer purchasing was shifting to online. This meant margins were squeezed to the point where keeping shops open no longer made sense.”
Cath Kidston ranks joint third, with 24,000 monthly searches on average. The stores largely left UK high streets following repeated administrations in both 2020 and 2023, which were the result of poor sales and pandemic impacts. Retailer Next then purchased the brand and intellectual property in March 2023, but closed all remaining physical stores and shifted the brand to online-only.
Advice for retailers
Hunt provides additional insight on the demise of household brands, and key lessons for today’s retailers on how to stay relevant in an evolving and competitive market: “The current economic climate poses increasing risks to businesses, especially those in the retail sector. It is much easier to lose customers than to retain them, which is why regular market research and competitor analysis are so essential. Staying ahead of the curve as conditions evolve is critical to long-term survival.”
Hunt adds: “As we’ve seen , poor financial management and decisions have contributed to the downfall of several once-iconic household brands, proving how crucial it is to have effective financial strategies and management in place.”
