Shopping in Grampian: Aberdeen near top of UK empty shop list
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Aberdeen is the city with the fifth most empty shops per head of population in the UK, according to figures analysed by Property Inspect.
The commercial property specialists have compiled a list of the best and worst places to go Christmas shopping.
To do this they looked at 50 different cities across the UK and counted how many empty shops from each featured on either the Right Move, Zoopla or Savills online portals.
That figure was then divided by the number of people who lived in the city.
Following this method Hull has been identified as having the most empty shops, followed by Stoke-on-Trent and Walsall.
Aberdeen is fifth on the list – the same as it was in 2021.
The Granite City was hit particularly hard by the closure of John Lewis last year, also losing its Disney Store branch in the Bon Accord shopping centre.
Warrick Swift from Property Inspect said "We know the cost of living crisis is having a detrimental effect on all of us – and the retail industry is no different.
"Many units are being put onto sites like Zoopla and RightMove as retailers are struggling to afford to light and heat their shops, which is leaving many cities like ghost towns.
"Supporting businesses and visiting the high streets is now more important than ever.
"This data just highlights the shear strain our high street shops are under in our current climate.
"Visiting local businesses in person and reducing online shopping orders can help support small and local businesses and hopefully allow more cities to have a resurgence of high street shops."
View the figures HERE
propertyinspect.com
