In message , at 09:29:52 on Mon, 25
Jun 2018, charles remarked:

It is a 'sign of the times' that our high streets are full of shops /
businesses which come and go as their owners discover the area can't
support them. Eventually, many premises end up as charity shops-
apparently they can get some favourable deal.

I understand that Charity Shops don't pay Business Rates.

Charities get reduced business rates, but aren't allowed to trade. I
wonder if the shops operated by their commercial arms fall between those
two stools?

However, empty shops attract penalty Business Rates after I think a
year, so landlords are happy to rent them out for peanuts to defuse that
liability.
--
Roland Perry