The Suffolk Says survey will be hard reading for those championing the county’s town centres.
Just 18% of people said they shopped in a town centre for non-food items – with 38% saying they tend to shop online and 28% saying they preferred shopping at out of town retail parks.
And this doesn’t appear to be changing, as 54% say they are likely to move to more online and out of town shopping in the next five years.
However, work is in the pipeline to try and curb this trend including the multimillion pound redevelopment of the Cornhill in Ipswich and the town centre in Bury St Edmunds.
Details of the Bury project are being kept a closely guarded secret but could include creating a new frontage on St Andrews Street South as well as the potential to widen the link between the town centre while protecting the historic frontage of the Cornhill.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here