MORE shops are closing than opening in Glasgow city centre as it was revealed 86 shut in the last year alone.

Now business leaders believe public and private sector need to get together to boost the city centre’s high streets.

Calls have been made for a radical rethink is required if traditional high streets are to thrive.

The PwC survey has found more than one shop a week closes in the city as empty shop units and boarded up fronts become a permanent feature of the city centre streets.

The collapse of BHS left Sauchiehall Street with a huge empty site and neighbouring shops are also vacant.

Shops that close are often replaced with discount stores and charity shops and business leaders fear there is a spiral of decline at work.

The study by finance experts PwC found that in the last year there were 68 new store openings in the city. However those were outnumbered by 86 closures.

Independent businesses say they are feeling the pressure with big names pulling out and from the cost of running premises.

Stuart Mackinnon, external affairs manager of the Federation of Small Business Scotland, said there are several factors.

He said: “In Glasgow there are a number of pressures. We have seen some high profile big businesses and public sector organisations pull out which means lower footfall for the remaining firms.

“The business rates system makes it increasingly expensive to locate in city centre and with online and out of town shopping on the rise it is more difficult for independent businesses to attract people into town centre.”

He said a rethink of how the city centre operates is required.

He added: “If we are going to reverse this trend we need to see public sector put more services and staff in the city centre. More GP surgeries, more council offices and big organisations to back the high streets.

“Every big closure puts more pressure on existing businesses. As more and more big units are left empty it becomes more difficult to fill the space. We can’t leave them empty forever.”

Across Scotland the closures work out at one per day with 365 stores shutting and 254 opening in the last year.

Mark Adley, PwC deals director, said: “Overall we are seeing far fewer closures due to outright insolvencies, but more due to the lower key restructuring of store portfolios.

“The good news is Scotland is leading the way in store openings and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.”

What do you think? What would you like to see on the city's high streets.