Don't invest in the UK high street

Britain's economy is suffering from a split personality. Our manufacturing industries are booming. Output, export orders and employment are all rising fast, according to the latest survey of UK factory activity. The headline PMI (Purchasing Managers' Index) reading has just hit a 16-year high of 58.3. That's streets ahead of the key '50' level that marks the split between contraction and growth. By contrast, the high street seems to be fast becoming a disaster zone. So what does this mean for investors?