The line graph illustrates the annual trends in shop closures and openings from the year 2011 to 2018.
Overall, the data reveals a fluctuating pattern in both closures and openings, with closures consistently exceeding openings throughout the observed period.
In 2011, the number of shop closures was approximately 5,800, while openings stood at around 2,900. By 2012, closures increased to roughly 6,600, and openings rose slightly to about 3,100. The trend of rising closures continued into 2013, reaching approximately 7,200, whereas openings saw a modest increase to around 3,400. However, in 2014, closures decreased to roughly 6,800, with openings climbing further to about 3,900. The following years saw a significant rise in closures, peaking at around 8,200 in 2015, while openings also increased to approximately 4,200. Out of these years, 2016 marked a decline in closures to near 7,000, contrasted by a slight decrease in openings to about 3,500.
The trend continued in 2017, with closures rising to roughly 7,600, whereas openings fell sharply to around 2,500. By 2018, closures decreased to approximately 5,600, and openings further declined to about 2,300. Over the period from 2011 to 2018, it is evident that shop closures predominately outnumbered openings, demonstrating the struggles of the retail sector. While openings initially exhibited an upward trend, they ultimately faced a downturn, particularly post-2016, which mirrors the overall decline in shop viability within the observed timeframe.