Macclesfield is the worst clone town in the north of England, according to a new report.

The damning economic survey says that big brand stores such as Iceland, Bodyshop and River Island are taking over the high street and strangling the life out of independent businesses.

The result is an ‘identikit’ look where one town appears much the same as another. The authors add that the lack of homegrown firms makes the town more likely to be affected by the recession. According to the New Economics Foundation (NEF), 46 of 50 businesses surveyed on Mill Street are chain stores.

That makes Macclesfield the worst in the north of England and the fourth worst in the country. Other parts of the town have also been invaded by ubiquitous coffee shops such as Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero.

Paul Squires, co-author of the report, said: "The towns most dependent on the big chains and out of town stores have proved to be most vulnerable to the economic crisis.

"What we have found is that chains have started to move out of town or closed less profitable outlets whereas a local independent business has much more of a commitment to the community."

But traders have hit back, defending the town and branding the survey unfair. "It isn’t a clone town and I am disappointed it has been called that – it is misleading," said Councillor Bill Livesley, who runs his own independent business and is a Macclesfield Guild and Chamber of Trade committee member. Only Cambridge (number 1), Reading and Exeter scored worse in the clone survey. Our own survey of all 76 Mill Street shops yesterday (Tuesday), showed that 22 – nearly 30 per cent – are independents. Six premises are currently empty.