The British Heart Foundation is shuttering 150 shops. A brutal reminder that the high street crisis is far from over. The charity, a staple on every British parade, cites cost pressures. Business rates. Energy bills. A triple whammy of pain.
Westminster sources tell me this is worse than the official line. The BHF is a bellwether. If they are pulling back, what hope for the independents? The government's Retail Strategy looks increasingly like a pamphlet left in the rain.
Labour's backbenchers are jittery. One shadow minister told me: "This is a hammer blow to our charitable fabric. We promised to fix the high street. Where is the action?" Expect grumbling at the PLP meeting tonight.
The Tory benches, for now, are quiet. But not for long. A former minister texted me: "We left them a mess, but Keir's lot aren't cleaning it up." Polling will shift. Watch the Red Wall marginals. Charity shops closing = anger in towns.
This story has legs. The BHF will say they are adapting. Consolidating. Focusing on online sales. But the subtext is clear: the cost of doing business is crushing good causes. And the government's response is a tin of beans in a blizzard.
Keep your ear to the ground. More shops will follow. And fingers will point.
