The UK has lost 83% of its department stores since BHS collapsed in 2016 - with 237 buildings now vacant, figures show.
The report, which looked at major chains including Beales, Debenhams and House of Fraser, said BHS kicked off a closures spree in 2016 and the pandemic accelerated it.
Five years ago, these chains had 467 stores between them. Now, however, just 79 are left.
The data, compiled by commercial property information firm CoStar Group, found that more than two-thirds of those that closed remain unoccupied.
"The data undoubtedly highlights the acceleration of change in the retail sector in recent years, which the pandemic has only exacerbated," said CoStar Group's head of analytics, Mark Stansfield.
In July, when the report was compiled, 237 were empty and 52 had planning approval for a change of use such as a new store or housing.
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In the case of BHS, five years after its collapse, a quarter of its former outlets are still on the hunt for new tenants.
But there’s hope in some communities and high streets around the country.
Next has already taken space in some former Debenhams stores for its new beauty concept, while Mike Ashley is redeveloping or re-letting space for his Flannels brand.
Plans have also been revealed to bring Bournemouth’s iconic Bobby’s building back to its former glory after Debenhams exits the site.
Development firm Verve Properties plan to restore the Bobby’s branding of the building for the first time in almost 50 years, complete with many of the original features reinstated or uncovered.
The building, located in Bournemouth’s The Square, has been the site of a department store since May 1915 when it first opened as Bobby & Co before eventually being known as Bobby’s.
It was acquired by Debenhams in 1972 and was subsequently rebranded as such.
The new store will feature a beauty hall, a sushi and plant-based poke bowl bar, a traditional ice cream and coffee parlour, an art gallery, and a dog café in the Lower Gardens when it opens next year.
The beauty hall will have local, sustainable brands sitting alongside the big brands not previously available at the Debenhams, as well as a nail bar, treatment rooms and female and male grooming services.
The watch repairing station In Time will also be retained.
Spa facilities are in the planning stages and will hopefully open in 2022.
“Bobby’s has historically always been at the heart of the town centre and the community,” Verve Properties director Ashley Nicholson said.
“When we started our research into the history, we kept unearthing how bedded into the community the building was.
He added: “If shoppers are going to be tempted back into town centres, then retailers need to value three key elements in any new structure and design.
“The first is to consider what kind of shopping experience people will still want to happen ‘in real life’- beauty, clothing and footwear are good examples of retail that people want to try out in person.
“The second element should focus on how to make the shopping experience a fun and enjoyable one.
“The third should be to remember that ultimately town centres are there to serve the local community.”
Elsewhere, Marks & Spencer is set to take over and transform the closed and boarded up Debenhams store in the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham.
Currently based on the high street, the company has secured a deal to take the large unit previously occupied by the department store.
Marks & Spencer said it plans to completely revamp the lower two tiers of the four-floor retail outlet – initially opened as Debenhams in 2003.
All of the company’s 150 staff from its current store will be relocating to the new shop in a move expected to be completed by late 2022 or early 2023.
But despite ad-hoc plans to develop the empty outlets, 149 former Debenhams stores are still empty, the data from CoStar Group shows.
