The ‘death of the high street’ may be overstated, with independent shops booming across the UK, says Which?

Despite a number of well known retailers disappearing from Britain’s High Streets in recent years, new research shows that they have been replaced by smaller businesses that have prospered.

The consumer champion analysed almost 1.5 million Ordnance Survey (OS) business records to compare Britain’s retail and services landscape from 2014 to 2019

The analysis suggests that concerns about the future of the high street may be overstated, and that instead, many high streets are beginning to move towards services that cannot be replicated online, with significant growth in cafés, tattoo parlours, hair and beauty services and function rooms.

Of the 10 sectors that have seen an increase in premises on UK high streets, six are categorised as ‘eating out and services’, with the biggest increase since 2014 seen in banqueting and function rooms (114 per cent).

With dishes such as raw beef with caviar, razor clams with almonds, and wagyu nigiri, a tiny village restaurant in County Durham is attracting foodies from across the British Isles.

The Raby Hunt restaurant has received glowing reviews since being bought by the Close family in 2009. It is north-east England’s first and only two Michelin-star restaurant.

For many, this would be a cause for celebration, but for some villagers in the rural hamlet of Summerhouse, its inclusion on haute cuisine’s food map has bought nothing but misery. And now a turf war has ensued.

Numerous villagers have claimed the plan of the chef-patron, James Close, to combine the inn with the adjoining cottage to provide extra guest bedrooms, a temperature-controlled wine storage room and improved facilities, will aggravate the problems the popular venue is already causing.

They say they are “prisoners” in their own homes because of “arrogant diners” at the restaurant – where prices start at £130-a-head – causing parking issues.

Many of the 140 villagers say they are fed up, claiming that a constant stream of wealthy diners and delivery vans is blocking the bus stop and side roads.

Tensions escalated when the exclusive restaurant announced a plan to expand into an adjoining cottage to provide extra guest bedrooms. Visitors to the restaurant can also book a room for £180 a night.

In one of several objection letters to Darlington council, two residents, Justin and Tiffany Fear, said the lack of car parking spaces had left them “prisoners” in their own homes.

Fear, 40, said residents, including elderly people, were having to park miles away from their homes to make room for diners.