Retail has experienced a tough recession, but nowhere near as tough as manufacturing or other parts of the services sector. Low interest rates, a cheap pound and lower than anticipated unemployment have helped to keep the tills ringing. Sales volumes are growing at about 3.5% a year, led by growth in the clothing and other non-food sectors. Some well-placed retailers, such as John Lewis, Waitrose and Primark have gone from strength to strength. There have also been victims of the recession, and the loss of high street stalwarts such as Woolworths and Zavvi have had an mpact on primary and secondary retail locations.

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