A HIGH Street store bloodbath is under way with one in 12 retail jobs in what is the Scotland's largest private sector employer expected to been lost by the end of this coronavirus crisis-hit year.

That is the prediction of the Centre for Retail Research which has tracked how Covid-19 has hit Britain's high streets - and found that as of the start of November, 140,437 jobs had been lost in 2020 with 15,103 store closures.

Tens of thousands more jobs are also at risk - with chain stores facing financial collapse.

It comes as the collapse of Sir Philip Green's Arcadia TopShop empire and the potential liquidation of department store chain Debenhams revealed yesterday is putting 25,000 jobs at risk alone.

The CRR's latest analysis forecasts that this year, job losses will rise to 235,704 with 20,520 store closures in a sector which currently employs 2.9m and generates over £260bn in sales a year.

All Debenhams stores face closure after the failure of a last-ditch efforts to rescue the failing store chain.

It means all 12,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs when the chain's 124 shops cease trading.

The news comes just hours after Topshop owner Arcadia fell into administration, putting 13,000 jobs at risk.

READ MORE: Arcadia Group and Debenhams collapse: What it means to you as a shopper

Debenhams itself had been in administration since April. Hopes of a rescue were crushed after the last remaining bidder, JD Sports, withdrew.

Restructuring firm Hilco will start going into Debenhams stores today to begin clearing stock.

The Herald:

Difficult trading during the coronavirus pandemic proved to be the final blow for both Debenhams and Arcadia.

Union leaders have said that government should not watch from the side lines as the high street is decimated.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said:“We need urgent and targeted action to save livelihoods in badly-hit industries - like retail - before it's too late.

“Unions stand ready to work with ministers and employers on sector-by-sector recovery plans.

“The government must do all it can to help those who lose their jobs get back on their feet.

“That means investing in creating decent jobs across the country and boosting universal credit.”

Retail trade union Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) also called on the government to act to "save our shops".

It is seeking urgent meetings with Debenhams’ administrators and urges them to treat staff with "fairness and dignity".

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary said: “Over 200,000 retail job losses and 20,000 store closures this year are absolutely devastating and lay bare the scale of the challenge the industry faces. Each one of those job losses is a personal tragedy for the individual worker and store closures are scarring our high streets and communities.

“What retail needs is a joined up strategy of unions, employers and government working together to develop a recovery plan. Usdaw has long called for an industrial strategy for retail, as part of our ‘Save our Shops’ campaign, to help a sector that was already struggling before the coronavirus emergency.

“There are substantial issues that need to be addressed likes rents, rates and taxation, to create a level playing field between high streets and online retail. Those issues will not be resolved with ‘sticking plaster’ measures like today’s 24-hour opening Government announcement.

“Retail is crucial to our town and city centres, it employs around three million people across the UK. The Government must take this seriously; we need a recovery plan to get the industry back on its feet."

Usdaw is calling for a recovery plan to be developed with trade unions including an immediate and comprehensive review of rental values and lease arrangements.

In the short term, a moratorium on evictions for shop rent arrears needs to be extended and retail businesses that are struggling should receive Government support to help with paying the rents which will become liable when that comes to an end.

Usdaw says there needs to be a reform of UK tax law to ensure that companies pay their fair share of tax through tackling tax avoidance and the use of offshore havens, with the aim of creating a level playing field between online and high street retailers.