Britain is not just a nation of shopkeepers but a nation of shoppers. Yet many of us no longer have the choice of shopping in a town centre. The growth in out-of-town superstores, warehouse clubs and discounters has meant that town centres are dying. In this film, Gloucester shopkeeper Roger Ellinor looks at the importance of the traditional high street, and compares Britain with France, where the traditions of the high street are kept alive.