In the five years writing this column it’s never been difficult to find fresh issues or perspectives affecting Scotland’s shopkeepers. We’ve seen the retail industry overcome Covid lockdowns and restrictions, changed shopping habits due to home working, supply chain bottlenecks, and a cost crunch prompted by the conflict in Ukraine.

Despite all this turbulence it seems volatility will continue. Lately retailers have had to contend with frigid conditions and weather alerts – including the latest battering from Storm Eowyn – deterring shoppers and impacting operations.

For all that it’s been an arduous half decade, the one thing that retail, and the brilliant people who work in it, have in spades is resilience. They’ll continue to need that as we seek to build a more dynamic and vibrant retail industry.

Read more:

WH Smith travels in style as sale of high street shops looms

2024 wasn’t a stellar year for Scottish retail, but on the plus side the inflationary pressures of the previous couple of years were finally brought to heel, with shop prices ending the year in deflation. Scotland’s retailers........

© Herald Scotland