Shoppers pass a closed down shuttered retail shop space on Oxford Street as it is announced that the cost of living is increasing more sharply than wages and while the inflation rate now stands at its highest for 40 years at over 11% on 15th November 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Things have been difficult for small businesses over the past two years and now especially with the ongoing cost of living crisis and the increasing financial pressures on the cost of goods. Oxford Street is a major retail centre in the West End of the capital and is Europes busiest shopping street with around half a million daily visitors to its approximately 300 shops, the majority of which are fashion and high street clothing stores.