High streets have emerged the “unexpected winners” after retail parks and shopping centres suffered more as a result of the 27 biggest administrations since 2009.
Of the high street shops that were shuttered as a result of the administrations, 20% remain vacant, compared with 37% of stores on retail parks and 29% in shopping centres.
The data, compiled by Deloitte and Local Data Company, showed that discount stores accounted for nearly one in five of all relettings. C-stores accounted for 12% as supermarkets aggressively expanded their convenience arms.
Deloitte director and author of the report Hugo Clark said the results challenge “a number of myths around the state of the high street. They would suggest that far from being dead, the high street appears to be showing great resilience and a capacity for reinvention. It seems that a structural shift is taking place with the high street emerging as an unexpected winner”.
Deloitte head of retail Ian Geddes argued that the growth of click-and-collect is pulling people back to the high street. He said: “Rather than taking shoppers away, the internet is pushing people back to shops. The evidence suggests that we may be entering a new era of ‘en route’ shopping, powered by mobile shopping and the demand for collection.”
Retailers including Woolworths, HMV, Clinton Cards, Habitat, JJB and Land of Leather closed almost 5,900 shops in the last five years after calling in administrators.
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