According to research from PwC and the Local Data Company, 987 high street stores closed in 2014 – three times the amount in 2013.
The report also showed that opticians and travel agents saw net falls, however drinks and food outlets thrived, along with leisure stores.
Categories which saw more shops opening included charity shops and coffee shops, however the category which had the biggest decline were mobile phone stores.
In a statement, director of the Local Data Company, Matthew Hopkinson said "Customers are embracing new mobile technologies, traditional retail channels to market are being wiped out and new channels are being created, often in the online rather than the 'real' world," adding "The area to watch in 2015 is the battle of the convenience and food store sector as supermarkets, the discounters and pound shops fight it out."
