Greater Manchester has lost more than 1,000 shops and other retail units since the turn of the century.
Nine out of 10 boroughs in the area have seen a decline since 2000 – with only Manchester escaping.
The figures are based on data published this week by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
The VOA is responsible for working out how many non-domestic premises each area has so that they can charge the correct business rate.
Local valuation officers compile lists of relevant properties and break them down into different categories – one of which is “retail”.
That includes not just traditional shops but also places that provide financial and professional services.
The new data shows that Greater Manchester had 28,630 retail properties in 2000/01.
That had fallen to 27,340 in 2018/19 – a drop of 1,280, or 4.5 per cent.
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Trafford has lost 310 retail units over the last 18 years, or 12.2 per cent of its previous total.
Tameside is down by 250 (10.0 per cent), Salford by 210 (9.1 per cent), Stockport by 240 (7.8 per cent) and Rochdale by 160 (7.3 per cent).
Wigan, Oldham, Bury and Bolton have seen smaller drops, while Manchester has actually seen an increase in retail properties – up by 220 to 6,040.
The VOA data can include both in-use and vacant shops, since both need to be recorded for rating purposes.
A drop in the total number of retail units therefore reflects not just that shops have stopped trading, but that the buildings they were in are no longer available for use as shops.
A closer look at the figures shows retail in Greater Manchester suffered a big hit at the start of the 21st century, and has been slowly clawing its way back in recent years.
Between 2000/01 and 2004/05, the number of retail units fell by 1,620.
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The number hit a low of 26,580 in 2007/08 and has recovered since then – although only slowly, and only slightly.
Between 2017/18 and 2018/19 the number of retail units remained static at 27,340.
Greater Manchester isn’t alone in having lost a large number of retail premises since 2000/01.
Across England, there are 16,690 fewer than there were back then – a drop of 3.7 per cent.
The number has inched up in the last two years, from 485,690 in 2016/17 to 487,390 in 2017/18 and finally 487,810 in 2018/19.
By comparison, the number stood at 506,500 at the start of the 21st century.
Brighton has seen the biggest percentage loss in retail, with the number of premises down by 18.0 per cent. Copeland in Cumbra, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and Gateshead in the North East are next.
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Only a small number of places nationwide have seen an increase in retail since 2010/11, led by Newham in London (up 19.2 per cent) and Hammersmith and Fulham (up 15.7 per cent).
All numbers published by the VOA are rounded to the nearest 10.