The past 12 months have seen a lot of comings and goings.
And of course to make way for the new, we've had to bid farewell to a fair few high street haunts.
Here we take a look at what Chester lost in 2016.
Central Perk
The Friends-themed coffee shop was the first victim of 2016's Chester high street losses.
Its owner cited high business rates as the reason for it shutting, and said Cheshire West and Chester Council had not been co-operative.
It opened as a full-scale replica of the café so beloved by Ross, Joey, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica and Chandler on Bridge Street back in 2013.
Zizzi
News that this Newgate Street Italian was closing broke on social media.
In a Twitter post, staff at the restaurant revealed it was shutting within just a few days in September.
South American-themed Picanha has since opened in the premises.
Blackhouse Grill
The axe fell on this successful restaurant in October following what insiders said was a strategic review by its owners.
It is understood the site on Newgate Street will be taken over in early 2017 by stylish chain All Bar One, which has confirmed it is coming to Chester in a 'brand new city centre location'.
Mockingbird Taproom
The Mockingbird closed with immediate effect one night in September because its parent company The New Moon Company went into administration.
It was one of two casualties, but some of the other group's strongest outlets have continued under a new company.
The taproom, which was on Lower Watergate Street, was formerly called The Fat Cat.
Ed's Easy Diner
This diner opened in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre in the summer of 2015.
But it only just got past its first birthday, as it was one of 26 restaurants which closed immediately when the chain collapsed into administration.
The Ed's in Ellesmere Port survived, however, as it was one of 33 bought by Giraffe Concepts.
The Forest House
The Love Street Wetherspoon's was bought by a small independent pub group passionate about craft beer back in May.
Five months later, it reopened as Brewhouse & Kitchen after a radical transformation which included the installation of a micro-brewery in the basement.
The sale of Forest House was part of a nationwide sell-off of 34 Wetherspoon outlets worth an estimated £40m.
Tropeiro
This restaurant on Grosvenor Street billed itself as an authentic Brazilian dining experience which specialist in seasoned and fire-roasted meats.
But it quietly closed in April, as the chain behind it ceased trading.
Months after the city lost a Brazilian, however, it gained another in steak-house Picanha.
BHS
The shutters came down on the Foregate Street store for the final time on August 3, after the retail giant went into adminstration in April.
The closure was a big loss for the city's high street, not to mention its many staff.
As yet, the premises remains vacant.
The Oaks Golf Club
This popular Mollington golf club and function venue was sold just three years after being rescued by receivers and closed at the end of May.
Its owners revealed they had decided to sell up for 'business reasons'.
One long-standing member told The Chronicle ahead of its closure that it would be a 'sad day'.
But it's not all doom and gloom...
We may have lost some favourite foodie haunts this year, but we've also gained a fair few, and even more are in the pipeline.
Check these out:
Were you sad to see these places shut up shop? Or was it time for a change? Tweet us @ChesterChron or let us know in the comments below.
