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Britain's high streets are shadows of their former selves. Over the last decade, 40,000 shops have closed. But in the past high streets were more than places to shop – they were the heart of communities, hubs for activism, and even spots for a bit of drama to unfold. Today on The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann sits down with Annie Gray, author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street, to delve into the rich past of these spaces – and why we shouldn’t rush to mourn them just yet.

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Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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