You can't deny it's been a difficult year for retail on the high street, and sadly Chester is no different.

The city has lost a large number of businesses in 2019, ranging from restaurants, shops, bars and jewellers.

Some have been mainstays of the Chester high street for decades, some didn't even make six months thanks to the changing retail climate.

Here is a list of the ones we've had to say farewell to in 2019. We have also compiled a list of the businesses Chester has gained over the past 12 months too.

The Yorkshire-based women's clothing brandcollapsed into administration in October - putting almost 2,900 jobs at risk and closed earlier this month.

Its administrators said it had 'sustained a period of challenging trading conditions' prior to its collapse.

Described as 'an Aladdin's cave' of fine wines, quirky brews and sophisticated spirits, Chester's Corks Out shop on Watergate Street was a uniquely popular venue where customers could venture down into a 13th century crypt and browse an impressive selection.

But it closed suddenly in November, with a staff member from the shop's sister branch in Stockton Heath confirming it had closed for good.

Less than 12 months after it opened, the owners of Mistral wine bar on Watergate Street Row said they had decided not to renew the short pop-up licence after it expired, and said the bar was 'not an area in which we wish to continue our creative energies'.

The closure came 10 months afterMistral officially opened to the publicas the brainchild of three friends with a passion for the world's finest and most authentic wines, the majority of which were low in sulphites or completely sulphite free.

It was the end of an era for Chester last month when prominent opticians Siddalls closed its doors on Bridge Street after more than 200 years in the city centre.

The store was established on Bridge Street in 1815 and has traded from its current location near the cross since 1894 - making it one of the few oldest surviving shops in the city to date.

The closure came after the shop's proprietor decided to retire and staff said there was no viable way to continue the business in that location.

Siddalls' neighbour, Crabtree & Evelyn, closed its doors back in April, before a huge 70% closing down sale.

The international body, fragrance and home care products retailer closed a number of UK branches and it was reported in 2018 that the retailer closed its stores in Canada and filed for bankruptcy protection.

The collapse of the travel giant back in September meant 9,000 people were left without jobs with 150,000 customers abroad also being affected.

Its Bridge Street branch closed but there was a glimmer of hope when Hays Travel later agreed a 6m deal with the Official Receiver to buy every one of Thomas Cooks 555 former stores on October 9, vowing to reopen them and offer jobs to 2,500 former staff members.

Chester's first dedicated Arabic restaurant Baytea was described as 'something new' for the city when it opened in November 2018. But just a few months later its Foregate Street venue mysteriously closed with little explanation.

It was first announced that outdoor clothing store Trespass was closing back in May, but it didn't actually close until December. Staff didn't elaborate on the closure but it's believed to be due to 'building overheads'.

This wine deli on Godstall Lane closed in March after staff said they 'gave it their best shot' in Chester but there is hope that it may return to the city centre for good after staff reopened in pop up format for Christmas.

Owner Jamie Moore said: "We keep saying that if we can get some momentum behind us well consider staying open into the New Year."

Whitmore & White also operate successful sister shops in Frodsham, Heswall and West Kirby.

Only four months after it opened, family run Les's Fish Bar on Frodsham Street had suddenly closed.

The chip shop's owner Les Manning said he was forced to shut up shop in the former Steak and Shake premises because the city's rates were 'too crippling' and there simply wasn't enough trade.

This unique gift shop closed in April after 24 years of trading on the high street but continues to trade online.

The shop's manager Matthew Sutton told CheshireLive that reasons for the closure were 'complex' but cited declining sales as one of the factors.

The Chester branch of Mothercare on the Greyhound Retail Park launched a closing down sale in November after the company was plunged into administration, putting thousands of jobs at risk.

Two years after Chester was used as the launch pad for its unique fusion concept of jacket potatoes and burritos, Jack Burrito closed its Northgate Street premises in April.

But the outlet wasn't closed for long - artisan pizzeria Dough Dough opened in the summer offering two different speciality doughs as their name suggests.

The stationery store on Sealand Road launched a huge closing down sale in March and closed shortly afterwards.

Partners at Deloitte were appointed joint administrators on Monday, casting doubt on the future of about1,200 people at more than 90 stores across the country.

Gino's Gelato on Northgate Street had proved a popular addition to the city since opening in June 2017, with customers regularly seen queuing out of the door for traditional Italian ice cream, coffee, crepes and waffles.

But it closed suddenly without explanation in January last year, and despite attempts for a comment, the Irish chain would not comment further.

Longstanding music shop Back Alley Music had been a mainstay on Northgate Street for 30 years, specialising in a wide variety of musical instruments and offering a guitar repair service.

But it closed early in 2019 and was replaced a few months later by Parisian style deli PicNic.

One of Chester's two H Samuel jewellery stores closed in September. The 2,682 sq ft store on the corner of Frodsham Street and Foregate Street was a mainstay of the city centre since the 1960s, situated among popular stores like M&S, River Island and Paperchase.

But it closed in August and has most recently been taken over by discount Christmas shop Wonderland.

Towers Tearoom on Bell Tower Walk closed in July for unknown reasons and deleted its social media pages, leaving the premises vacant.

It had taken over Beatons Tearoom only last year, which has been operating as a lunch spot and bookshop for customers since the summer of 2015.

But it remains closed, despite being on one of the busiest thoroughfares in Chester.

Chester's only Burger King closed its doors suddenly in November with no further explanation given for the closure than a sign in the window.

We attempted to make contact with a spokesperson but received no response.

Back in March, Cestrians were shocked when popular fashion retailer Oasis closed its doors on Northgate Street.

Officials would not respond to request for comment but the premises still remains empty to date.

Chester's Yankee Candle shop closed suddenly in November only to re-open just a couple of days later as an entirely different store.

The American scented candle manufacturer had traded from a shop on Foregate Street for the past few years, and stocked candles in hundreds of different scents.

But within just two days it was replaced by Fresh Cosmetics which specialises in bath products, skincare and fragrances, and is said to be part of the same company as its predecessor.

The Steamer Trading Cookshop chain was sold to the rival houseware retailer after it went into administration earlier this year and closed its Bridge Street premises in May.

But kitchen appliance fans needn't have worried as the shop reopened as a Pro Cook outlet just a few months later, selling own-brand cookware, kitchen knives, accessories and tableware, as well as iconic branded products from household names such as Le Creuset, Brabantia, Robert Welch and Magimix.

The closure of a 49 Watergate coffee shop in Chester city centre in October came about due to a number of contributing factors, including a 'saturation' of similar businesses, its owners said.

They said that the growth of online shopping, the challenge of maintaining high standards and nearby competition including chain coffee shops were the biggest issues contributing to the closure.

One of Chester's most historic buildings, the Grade I listed Booth Mansion on Watergate Street was taken over by Sue and Richard Jacques back in 2016 who revitalised the building, reopening it as a popular art gallery and tea room.

But in September, Sue and Richard announced that they terminated the lease on the property, writing on Facebook: "The building needs a significant investment of money to enable us to continue to grow the business in the most effective way and enable us to meet the modern demands of the hospitality industry.

This Chester salon on Northgate Street, founded by celebrity hairdresser Andrew Collinge closed in September after more than 30 years of loyal custom.

A note on the door said: "Our Chester salon has now closed. We would like to thank our clients for over 30 years of loyal custom. Our nearest salon is located in Heswall."

Sister stores Scandinavian Living and Scandinavian Home, both on St Werburgh Street, suddenly closed in March, with court enforcement notices attached to the windows of both stores.

The notices explained that acting under instruction by the shop's landlord Werburgh Properties Limited, bailiffs had secured both premises and that any attempt to enter them could result in prosecution.

However, Nina Lindberg, who owns both shops, which specialised in Scandinavian vintage style home furnishings, told CheshireLive that the landlord company should be 'ashamed' of themselves after her several attempts to reach a compromise were rebuffed.

Chester's only exclusive hat store closed its Northgate Street store in March to trade permanently online after closing its Northgate Street store.

But it wasn't empty for long - luxury patisserie Sweet Elements opened just a month later, specialising in decadent, luxury desserts made on the premises and using all local ingredients.

Chester's branch of Patisserie Valerie closed in January after thecake chain collapsed into administration.

The company failed to secure finances from banksafter discovering 'significant and potentially fraudulentaccounting irregularities'.

However, the Cheshire Oaks branch still remains open for business.

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All the shops and businesses Chester said goodbye to in 2019 - Cheshire Live