Irish shops face more pressure as consumers extend their online buying beyond holidays and books, a survey by a leading group of academics has found.

Nearly 50 shops are vanishing every week from the UK high street and more will be forced out of business unless taxes are reformed to cover online retailers, experts have warned.

British consumers are downbeat about the economy’s prospects next year, when higher inflation is likely to erode their spending power, a major survey showed, despite signs that growth has remained robust since June’s Brexit vote.

The UK high street is “re-emerging” after four years of store culling on the back of a boost in consumer confidence and cheaper fuel costs, according to a report.