New data shows how Chesterfield’s town centre and shopping areas have changed since Covid started

The BBC’s postcode checker uses Ordnance Survey data to reveal how local high streets have changed since 2020 – highlighting whether individual towns have bucked national trends.

In March 2020 there were 196 retail shops in the town centre, but as of March 2022 there were 13 fewer – a decrease of 7%. The national average was a 3% decrease in retail outlets – suggesting that the pandemic hit Chesterfield’s retail sector harder than other towns.

The number of pubs and bars dropped by 12% over the same period – but the amount of cafes in Chesterfield rose by 17%.

There was a 31.2% increase in the number of tattoo and piercing studios opened in Chesterfield – more than triple the national average of 8.2%.

Chesterfield saw a 6% rise in the number of fast food outlets and beauty services – whereas the number of clothing stores fell by 2%.

There was no change in the number of banks in the town, despite an 8.1% decrease in these facilities across the country – meaning Chesterfield residents have better access to in-person banking than many other areas.

READ THIS: First look inside north Derbyshire's newest retro store

The number of supermarkets and restaurants in the town centre also remained the same – while the number of supermarket chains increased by 2.5% nationally.

The areas included in the data were Packers Row, Knifesmithgate, Low Pavement, Market Place, Middle Pavement, Burlington Street, Steeplegate, Glumangate, Vicar Lane and Cavendish Street. More information can be found here.