Mike Ashley, the billionaire founder of Sports Direct with an undeniably strong nose for retailing, reckons that some parts of Britain’s ailing high streets are already dead. Try telling that to Roger Whiteside, chief executive of Greggs, who last week upgraded the bakery chain’s annual profit forecasts because recent trading had been so strong.
Mr Whiteside has been reducing Greggs’ presence in town centres, opening more of its new stores in office parks, garage forecourts and “drive-by” locations in response to some of the changes taking place in consumers’ shopping habits (think online ordering and food on the go). Nevertheless, just under two thirds of its stores portfolio is at the centre of one of the most turbulent trading periods for retailers in living