HMV decline is another reminder of the fragile high street

The decline of HMV is another reminder of the fragile state of the high street.

For the firm’s hundreds of dedicated staff this is a bitter Christmas blow.

Unless there is a last-minute rescue, they could soon add to the 150,000 jobs lost in the sector this year.

The music giant could not compete with online retailers. The dip in consumer confidence, fears over Brexit and squeezed household budgets also played a part in its demise.

But firms such as HMV must compete with one hand tied behind their back, as online companies make billions in sales but pay barely any corporation tax or business rates.

It makes a mockery of the taxation system that HMV, with sales of £277million, paid £15million in business rates last year, while Amazon, with £8.8billion sales, paid £38million.

Every time a store closes it knocks another tooth out of once-smiling shopping streets.

That is why the Mirror launched its High Street Fightback campaign.

If we want our town centres to thrive then we must make sure there is a level playing field.

And that means making the online Goliaths pay their fair share in tax.

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The 2019 New Year Honours are a  celebration of the best of this country.

There are deserved gongs for fashion icon Twiggy and England’s World Cup heroes.

But few are more deserving than the brave NHS staff who responded to the 2017 Manchester and London terror attacks.

Too often the honours are tainted by the handing of knighthoods to political cronies.

Those who really merit recognition are Britain’s army of unsung public servants, charity fundraisers and volunteers.

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Hollywood star and humanitarian campaigner Angelina Jolie says she may run for the US presidency.

The former wild child has shown you can grow up and mend your ways – unlike the spoilt man baby currently in the White House.

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