London West End landlord expects retail crisis to get worse

Sputtered recovery: A file picture showing a person walking past a temporarily-closed clothes shop on Regent Street in central London. Footfall has collapsed by an average 75% in the year through March, crippling stores that cater to tourists and office workers. — AP

LONDON: On some of the wealthiest streets in London’s West End, the amount of empty stores has almost doubled since the start of the pandemic.

Things are about to get even worse.