b) very shop was either, a hairdresser, a vape shop, a nail bar
Coincidentally,. all three are excellent fronts for money laundering.
We are seeing the same here. In a local parade of shops we have an off license, then 50m down a co-op. Over the road we have a newsagent. It's been that way for years.
Next to the co-op we have a Turkish barber (around for about 5 years) and opposite them was another Turkish Barber (around for about 7 years).
In the last month, the barber shop next to the newsagent has closed down and has now reopened as a corner shop type store. It has no customers. None. Nada, Zip. There is no sensible explanation for opening a shop selling sweets and vapes, next to a shop that sells sweets and vapes, opposite a supermarket that sells sweets and vapes more cheaply which is just down from an off-license which sells sweets and vapes.
Our high street is also full of nail bars and vape shops, none of which accept contactless or credit / debit cards...