Choices UK, Britain’s second-biggest DVD rental chain, warned yesterday that it will 'substantially' miss targets this year after a poor Easter and predicted the death of the standalone high street store. Daily Telegraph. The Independent

Shares in Choice UK fell 50% following a sharp downturn over Easter, so plans to close or sell 70 loss-making or less profitable stores will now be accelerated, leaving the chain with 120 sites.

Anthony Skitt, Choices UK chief executive, predicted that there were unlikely to be any standalone rental stores on the high street in five years’ time.

'Clearly, standalone stores are becoming less viable. That’s as plain as the nose on your face.' he said.

Two weeks ago Apollo Video Film Hire, the country’s third-biggest rental chain, went into liquidation. Market leader Blockbuster is considering closure of 24 of its 700 UK outlets.