What risk does Reid identify?
Town centres across the country are changing. Where department stores once stood, there are now gyms, health centres and cafes. Retail analyst Colin Reid says this is not simply a story of decline. 'People still want to go into town, but they want an experience, not just a shop,' he says. Some councils are encouraging the change by turning empty shops into housing or community spaces. However, Reid warns that the shift will be painful for towns that depend on a single large retailer. 'When an anchor store leaves, the surrounding businesses can lose half their customers overnight,' he says.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Towns reliant on one store may suffer
- Step 1: Find the part of the text that deals with this. Step 2. His last warning is about an anchor store. Answer: Towns reliant on one store may suffer. Why not the others: Losing it can halve nearby trade.
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