William Shakespeare's birthplace has drawn over two million pilgrims yearly, yet the medieval market town's reality contradicts its literary prestige.

Behind the tourist queues at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and cobbled streets scented with fresh fudge lies a troubling transformation.

The high street tells a different story. Major retailers have vanished, replaced by Turkish barbers and vape shops.

Rough sleepers occupy vacant shopfronts whilst groups of youths in balaclavas patrol the streets, according to the Daily Mail.

Since early 2024, Jack Wills, Fraser Hart, The Body Shop and Wilfred's Sweet Shop have permanently shut.

Debenhams has stood empty since 2020, whilst a former BHS has decayed for over fifteen years.

Restaurant chains including Café Rouge, Bella Italia and Edward Moon have disappeared.

Last month saw Poundland close, followed by Pizza Express just last week.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre

One anonymous woman revealed she was sexually assaulted by a masked man near the canal in November.

"I reported it to the police but they never did anything. They said they could not identify him because he had a balaclava," she said.

She now avoids walking alone and chooses routes with CCTV coverage.

Café owner Mustafa Dogan described teenagers wearing balaclavas whilst riding electric scooters.

"My brother-in-law has got two teenage daughters, and they don't go out. It's not safe," he said.

Dogan said young people were "taking stuff from shops".

"People don't react because there is nothing they can do," he explained, calling for increased police presence and enhanced powers.

The Fresh Baguette Bar owner blamed soaring rents and online shopping for the decline.

Anne Hathaway's Cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon |

GETTY

"You go to the shops and you buy mayonnaise, it's £1, you go online, it's 80p. What would you do?" he asked.

Jake Field, from Barry the Butcher, operating for 35 years, confirmed the transformation.

"All the ones that open up don't really last. New ones keep opening up and closing," he said.

One lifelong resident surveying Greenhill Street's boarded shops declared: "This is not the Stratford I grew up in."

Medieval market town 'in decline' as 'rough sleepers, Turkish barbers and vape shops' take over

Stratford-on-Avon District Council acknowledged the challenges, citing initiatives including vacant high streets programmes and diversified town centre uses.

A spokesman confirmed collaboration with property owners at both Debenhams and BHS to identify viable alternatives.

The council highlighted its 24/7 CCTV control room working with Warwickshire Police and the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order in May targeting alcohol-related antisocial behaviour.

Visitors offered contrasting views. Robert Beatty from Chester praised the town after two visits within four weeks.

"It's obviously more for visitors, but it's 100 per cent better than other high streets," he said.

Stratford-upon-Avon BID maintained that vacancy rates remain below national averages, with crime figures similarly low.