Seven out of ten shops in Lleida close due to lack of generational succession

The absence of family continuity or the desire of new generations not to be 'slaves' leads many historic businesses to close.

Generic image of a closed shop with a 'for sale' sign.
IA

Generic image of a closed shop with a 'for sale' sign.

A 70% of shops in Lleida closing down do so due to a lack of generational succession, a problem that particularly concerns historic establishments.

According to data from Pimec Comerç Lleida, the majority of establishments that close do so because they cannot find successors, while 30% attribute it to bankruptcies or other reasons. The president of the entity in Lleida, Manel Llaràs, warns that the loss of these historic businesses, which are a "commercial benchmark," could strip the city of its personality in favor of large multinationals.
Llaràs points out that new generations often lose their connection to the family business. The reasons are varied: from preferring to pursue professional studies to the desire to "live better and not be slaves," a mindset that distances young people from the intensive dedication required by many traditional shops.
To address this situation, Pimec Comerç Lleida, in collaboration with the city council, offers technical assistance to owners who cannot find successors. The goal is to find "viable" alternatives to prevent closure. According to Llaràs, the community of Chinese origin has been particularly active in reopening premises.
Initiatives like Reempresa work to connect establishments with new entrepreneurs. Since its creation in 2011, this program has registered over 5,880 successful cases throughout Catalonia, saving approximately 16,500 jobs.
Marta Aguilar, delegate for Reempresa, highlights that many viable and profitable premises end up closing due to the lack of an adequate succession plan, causing an "enormous loss to the commercial, economic, and social fabric" of the city.