Total number of vacant shops in the UK is “equivalent to 23 Sheffield town centres being empty”

A new report from the Local Data Company has said that the number of vacant stores on the high street remain “stubbornly high” and equated to 23 Sheffield town centres of empty shops.

Vacancy rates at the top 650 town centres in the country were 14.1%, only slightly down on the previous figure of 14.2% in February.

Matthew Hopkinson, director of the Local Data Company, commented: “This report clearly shows that whilst the rise of empty shops has stalled it still remains stubbornly high for many towns up and down the country.
"Since August 2010 the national average has been above 14%, with a significant number being 'long-term sick' with little or no prospect of reoccupation as shops.