I’m today – 21 May – publishing the latest City Centre Management survey of vacant City Centre retail units (survey undertaken over recent days).

Good to start with the simple – and encouraging - facts…

• We now have 49 empty retail units in the City Centre
  
• The number of vacant units is up at the same level as in February 2009
  
• The percentage of retail units empty in Exeter currently stands at 7.84% …with the current national average running at around 12%

A breakdown of the number of vacant City Centre retail units is set out below…

The vacancy survey is only ever a snapshot of what’s happening in our City Centre. Although the City Centre retail vacancy rate as of today remains frustratingly static, we are seeing new names coming to the city and I am more optimistic about the future than I have been for some time. It’s encouraging that we are seeing a real mix of new names coming to the city – from well-known retail names such as Mountain Warehouse and Sony Centre to new independent retailers such as Rant & Rage, Sew Bazaar and Blue Wing Jewellery.

There remain a large number of active discussions with agents and businesses looking at investing in the City Centre and I have no doubt that we will see these active discussions being translated in to new store announcements over the coming weeks and months.


John Harvey
City Centre Manager

21 May 2010