I visited a UK town plagued by shop closures and abandoned by M&S - not all hope is lost

From its origins as a small Saxon village to its rise as a market town, this Wiltshire town underwent a dramatic transformation with the arrival of the Great Western Railway in 1843. The railway works turned the town from a population of just 2,500 into one of the world's largest railway engineering complexes, becoming a hub linking London with the South West and driving unprecedented growth. Today, however, despite its prime location and leafy green spaces like The Lawns and the charming Old Town, the heart of Swindon feels quieter, a shadow of its former self.

Walking through the city centre, I couldn't ignore the shuttered shops that line the streets. They were a stark reminder of the financial challenges facing many high streets across the UK.

The UK town that's 'gone downhill'