The Truth Behind A High Street Full of VAPE shops!
🏙️ Why does every high street look the same now?
Walk through Braintree, Witham or almost any town in the UK and you’ll hear the same comments:
“It’s just vape shops and barbers now.”“Another empty shop… what a surprise.”“Why can’t we get proper stores anymore?”
It’s the number one complaint every time a big name closes or a new “unwanted” shop opens.
But what if the real story isn’t what people think?
What if the vape shops and barbers aren’t the cause of the dying high street……but the symptom of something much bigger?
Today, we’re breaking down the uncomfortable truth.
💨Why Vape Shops Take Over Empty Units
Vape shops didn't appear because anyone wanted them. they appeared because they are one of the few businesses that can still survive high street economics.
They:
Make high profits from small stock
Need minimal staff
Can operate with low footfall
Don’t require huge spaces
Can pay the rent when other shops can’t
This means when a unit becomes empty, big brands won’t touch it, small independents can’t afford it, and vape shops move in.
“Every time a shop closes, a vape shop appears. Is there really that many vape smokers?” ~ Facebook Commenter.
✂️Why There Are So Many Turkish Barbers
People laugh about “one on every corner”, but here’s the truth:
Barbershops succeed because:
They have low start-up costs
They offer a service you can’t buy online
They rely on repeat customers
They open long hours
They’re cheap to run
A retail clothing shop may make £100–200 a day.
A busy barbershop chair can make £600+ a day.
Economically, Barbershops are one of the only business models that still work on dying high streets.
“There’s more barbers than people needing haircuts!” ~ Facebook Commenter.
🏚️Why Empty Shops Stay Empty for Months (or Years)
This is the part that shocks people.
Landlords often would rather leave a shop empty than lower the rent.
If they reduce the rent for one unit, the value of the entire building drops.
So they keep it empty, sometimes for years because keeping the rent high on paper preserves the investment value.
This creates a domino effect:
High rent → No interest
No interest → Long-term vacancies
Vacancies → Dead zones on the high street
“So many empty shops makes the high street look abandoned. It’s like nobody cares anymore.” ~ Facebook Commenter.
📦The Real Reason Retail Vanished Overnight: Online Shopping
This is the biggest factor of all.
Online shopping:
Has lower overheads
Can offer huge discounts
Doesn’t pay high street rent
Offers an endless range of sizes and colours
Delivers to your door next day
Allows easy returns
Beats in-store prices almost every time
This is why clothing shops vanish overnight.
Not because the town is “bad”, but because the entire retail world changed.
“My kids buy everything online. No one goes into shops anymore.” ~ Facebook Commenter.
🧩 So What REALLY Killed the High Street?
It wasn’t vape shops.
It wasn’t barbers.
It wasn’t councils.
It wasn’t “lazy businesses.”
It was a full-scale shift in:
How we shop
How rents work
How online retail took over
How landlords value buildings
How margins collapsed
Vape shops and barbers didn’t kill the high street. They moved into the graveyard left behind.
💬 Community Discussion
What do YOU think is the real cause? Do you agree with this breakdown or do you think something else is to blame?
👇 Share your thoughts below your comments will shape Part 2.
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