Liverpool pipped Manchester by just one place
Liverpool ranks in the top ten on the UK’s strongest high streets list (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The UK cities with the strongest high streets have been announced. A new study conducted by Excite OOH analysed high streets across the country using six indicators. These included business opening rates, business closure rates, retail vacancy rates, weekend activity, night-time activity and retail jobs per 100,000 residents.
Each city was ranked for every metric using a weighted scoring model based on business activity, occupancy, footfall patterns and retail employment.
Liverpool scored 56.48, placing it sixth out of 55 cities, just ahead of Manchester, which scored 55.71. Plymouth topped the list with 61.19, followed by York (60.22) and then Edinburgh (59.97).
Liverpool ranked highly for opening rates, and 2026 will see several exciting brands arrive in Liverpool city centre including Flat Iron and the return of Foot Locker. Hickory’s Smokehouse is also set to open a Liverpool location this summer, with their recent announcement that they will be acquiring the Bear & Staff pub in Gateacre.
However, Liverpool scored lower for evening activity and retail employment relative to the population compared to the cities in the top five. 2025 was a challenging year for the high street, with well-known chains including Poundland, Cancer Research, Pizza Hut and New Look shutting in Liverpool.
The beginning of 2026 has also sadly seen more announcements of closures, including The Treehouse in Crosby and The Hightown Pub in Hightown, Sefton.
These challenges aren’t unique to Liverpool with high streets across the UK seeing declining footfall, closures and empty shopfronts. Poundland is the most recent chain to announce its next set of closures with a total of 12 shops set to close throughout January, continuing a series of shutdowns that began at the tail end of 2024.
The late-night economy has also suffered nationally, with bars, clubs and casinos under pressure from rising costs, safety concerns and poor transport. According to the latest report by NIQ and the Night Time Industries Association, Britain’s late-night economy has suffered a 4.6% decrease in 12 months.
The number of late-night venues is now 28% below the levels of March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic triggered a wave of closures across the hospitality sector.
Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool Business Improvement District, said: “Liverpool’s high streets perform strongly because of the determination of the businesses in the city to commit to a strong offer. We have a vibrant mixed use high street economy that combines culture, retail, commerce, leisure and education. This makes our city centre a real destination.
“It relies on our city partners working hand in hand, to keep it a safe and attractive place, not only to visit but also to invest. At Liverpool BID, that includes working with organisations alongside retailers to tackle crime, bringing events like Yellow Monday (January 19) and Must See Month (February) to bring businesses together to showcase their brilliant offers.
“That doesn’t mean our city is immune from the challenges facing our high streets, nor does it mean we should rest on successes. We face real issues in terms of business rates, which need reform, parking and transport into the city centre, making it stress free for everyone to visit, and we need to see continued investment in the city centre, making it clean, tidy and accessible.
“This is why we have launched a new campaign alongside Downtown in Business, to put Liverpool at the forefront of a national conversation to have a business-led approach to the visitor economy and hospitality. This is an industry at the heart of our vibrant high streets and needs our support if we’re to keep Liverpool as a place that’s great both for businesses and visitors”.
Top 10 UK cities with the strongest high streets:
- Plymouth (61.19)
- York (60.22)
- Edinburgh (59.97)
- Dundee (58.48)
- Portsmouth (57.10)
- Liverpool (56.48)
- Manchester (55.71)
- Bournemouth (55.55)
- Cambridge (54.96)
- Newcastle (54.39)