A SUBJECT of great importance to visitors to city and town centres will be aired at a meeting later this month.

Carrie Aspin, senior researcher for USDAW, the Shopworkers' Union, will give a talk on the 'Future of the High Street’.

It will be delivered to Chester Civic Trust members and guests at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre on Wednesday, November 21, at 7.30pm.

Christine Russell, who chairs Chester Civic Trust, said: “This is a subject that is very pertinent to Chester after House of Fraser, the proposed anchor store for the Northgate, went into administration.

“The Centre for Retail Research predicts that the annual number of store closures across the country will rise to over 10,000 in 2019.

“Twenty per cent sales are now online and big names like Marks & Spencer have announced store closures.

“The High Street is changing as traditional shops are replaced by coffee shops and nail bars.

“Will the High Street of the future become the place to socialise rather than to shop?”

Admission is free to members of the Civic Trust members and guests will be welcome on payment of £5 at the door.