It’s sad in some ways, but survival of the fittest and all that. Smyths and Hamleys look like they’re doing pretty well albeit financials are hard to get hold of being private.
I remember at school reading and being told how the high street was changing and would result in empty shop after empty shop due to the appeal of out of town shopping centres. But what you can never really forecast is the upside for someone else - casual dining outlets and coffee shops have expanded with the trend now to spend between £5-£40 on either a coffee or a Nando’s with the Saturday Clothes shop.
On the other end of the scale, you have the pound shops and the B&M winners. When I used to get dragged shopping in my school years, it was C&A and Woolworths, now it’s H&M, Uniqlo, pit stop at costa, a few more shops and a Nando’s to end the day - probably spending double my parents would have.
There are winners and losers, personally I love family owned restaurants and if we lose a few bigger players in the high street I hope it opens up opportunities for some more bespoke shops and restaurants. Tastes and trends change.
The other big hit to the likes of toys r us would’ve been the grocers. Toy week sales practically gave the stuff away at little-to-no margin, which is fine for a grocer making a net profit from food to cover the cost, but more difficult for a one market company like toys r us to compete.