A medieval market town famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare now has a high street lined with “vape shops and Turkish barbers”. Stratford-upon-Avon attracts millions of visitors each year, drawn by its medieval charm, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and its links to the playwright. But the town centre has changed dramatically, with boarded-up units and long-standing businesses disappearing.
Major retailers including Jack Wills, Fraser Hart, The Body Shop and Wilfred’s Sweet Shop have all closed since early 2024. Debenhams has been empty since 2020, and a former BHS site has stood derelict for more than 15 years. Restaurant chains such as Café Rouge, Bella Italia and Edward Moon have also shut their doors. Many of the vacant units have been replaced by vape shops, Turkish barbers and short-lived businesses that open and close within months.
Business owners and visitors have also described antisocial behaviour, with rough sleepers in shop doorways and teenagers in balaclavas riding electric scooters through the town, GB News reports.
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told the outlet she was sexually assaulted near the canal in November by a masked man.
“I reported it to the police but they never did anything. They said they could not identify him because he had a balaclava,” she said, adding she now avoids walking alone.
Café owner Mustafa Dogan told GB News that young people were “taking stuff from shops” and that his own relatives felt unsafe going out.
“People don’t react because there is nothing they can do,” he said, calling for more police and greater enforcement powers.
Another business owner who runs The Fresh Baguette Bar blamed rising rents and online shopping for the downturn. “You go to the shops and you buy mayonnaise, it’s £1, you go online, it’s 80p. What would you do?” he said.
People from around the UK have also shared their views online. One wrote: “What an absolute tragedy. A true national treasure disintegrating before our very eyes. Will Shakespeare will be turning in his grave.”
Another said: “Most small market towns have an unusually large number of Turkish barbers for the male population.”
Others drew comparisons to elsewhere in the UK, with one comment reading: “It’s the same everywhere in the UK, I live in the west of Scotland and my local town is full of Turkish barbers, nail bars, vape shops and pound shops.”
Another person added: “I visited Stratford recently, definitely felt intimidated and don’t want to return, which is a shame, as it was such a beautiful place and the transformation has been so quick.”
Stratford-on-Avon District Council said it was working with property owners to find new uses for empty units including Debenhams and BHS.
A spokesman said initiatives included a vacant high streets programme, a 24/7 CCTV control room, and a Public Space Protection Order introduced in May targeting alcohol-related antisocial behaviour.
The council also pointed to figures from Stratford-upon-Avon BID showing vacancy rates below the national average and crime levels lower than in many towns.