PUNTERS have been left crying its a "sad sign of the times" as a major bar chain with 1,400 venues is set to close a "breathtaking" venue in days. The Pitcher and Piano has confirmed it is set to shut its Richmond, London, site next Saturday, June 15. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
