Out of town shopping centres could have little or no adverse effect on high street retailing according to a study unveiled at the British Council of Shopping Centres conference in Edinburgh.
The research, by DTZ Debenham Thorpe and Nathaniel Lichfield, studied economic and retail indicators in 12 major towns in England between 1980 and 1995.
It concludes that both Sheffield and Dudley were suffering structural decline before either the Meadowhall or Merry Hill out of town centres had opened.
Speaking in Edinburgh, BCSC president and Marks & Spencer property director Roger Aldridge said: “The blame for a few declining town centres appears to be laid all to conveniently solely at the doors of out of town development, prompted by what appears to be rather partial and selective research.”
EGi News 11/11/96
