National shop vacancy levels continue to hover around 12.5% , according to Estates Gazette’s latest monthly town centre health check, compiled by Local Data Company. A total of 19,083 shops stood empty last month.
However, divergence in performance is continuing, and secondary areas in London are showing very high negative churn. LDC said that this was resulting in a much higher closure ratio – 1.8 stores closing for every one opening – and double-figure vacancy rates.
Of the town centres selected by LDC at random, Chippenham in Wiltshire had the lowest vacancy rate at 5.6% and Preston in Lancashire the highest, at 17.5%.
