Nearly 5,000 UK chain stores closed last year at rate of 14 a day

Pharmacies, banks and pubs retreat from town and city centres knocked by failure of Wilko last year

Almost 5,000 more chain stores were left empty last year - a rate of about 14 closures a day - as high streets were hurt by the failure of Wilko and the retreat of banks and pubs.

Pharmacies were the biggest loser with 787 chain outlets disappearing - although many of these were Lloyds outlets which were taken over by independents.