Harrogate Borough Council

Shop Vacancy Rates

Shop vacancy rates are monitored on a quarterly basis for the main settlements in the Harrogate district.

The vacancy rates are calculated by dividing the number of vacant shops in an area by the total number of shops available, using statistics from Harrogate Borough Council's business rates system.

Shop Vacancy Rates and Rental levels

Harrogate Borough Council monitors shop vacancies on a quarterly basis, across the District and its main centres.

The latest available statistics relate to the months March - June 2008 (Quarter 1) as shown below:

Retail centre	June 2008	June 2007
	vacancy %	vacancy %
Average for Harrogate District	5.8 %	6.5 %
Harrogate Town	5.4 %	6.3 %
Boroughbridge	3.0 %	1.5 %
Knaresborough	8.7 %	11.2 %
Ripon	8.6 %	8.6 %
Pateley Bridge	2.3 %	4.4 %
Masham	6.5 %	6.5 %
Average for above Main Centres	5.8 %	6.4 %

Source: Harrogate Borough Council, July 2008

A comparison with the previous year, 2007 shows an overall decrease in shop vacancies for the Harrogate District of 0.7%.

Overall vacancy rates have seen little change over the year June 2007 - June 2008. Despite there being 14 fewer retail units in total (1,391 to 1,377 in June 2008) this is a decrease of only 0.07%.

In the district's smaller market towns the closure or relocation of just one retail unit has a noticeable impact on the statistics. The increased vacancy rate in Boroughbridge, from 1.5% to 3.0% over the past year, has been generated by one additonal shop becoming vacant. (2 shops in a total of 67 retail units).

An overview of retail rental performance May 2006 - May 2007, by Colliers CRE, Chartered Surveyors and International Property Consultants, indicates that prime rents in the Yorkshire and Humber region increased on average by 1.5% - less than the UK average of 2.8%.

Within the region Harrogate Town is 7th in the Top 10 Highest Rented Centres, with prime rents of £150 psf. The nearby cities of Leeds and York are 3rd and 5th respectively, following the out-of-town retail centres of Meadowhall (Sheffield) and White Rose.

The City of Ripon has experienced one of the highest rental growths in the region, over the year May 2006 - May 2007, and is 3rd in the Region's Top Performing Centres (% change in prime rents). With a rental growth of 11.1%, prime rents increased from £45 psf to £50psf - illustrating a growing confidence in the local retail sector and the impact of recent city centre developments.

Centre	Prime rent, £psf, May 2007	Prime rent,£psf, May 2006
Harrogate Town	£150	£150
Ripon	£50	£45
Skipton	£80	£80
York	£200	£200
Leeds	£310	£310

Rental levels in Harrogate (Leeds and York) have remained static over the year May 2006 - 2007. This is in contrast to growth of 15.4% during the preceding year May 2005 - May 2006, when prime rents in Harrogate increased from £130 psf to £150psf.

Source: Colliers CRE, September 2007

Want to know more?

More detailed information about Shop Vacancy Rates can be obtained from the Economic Development Unit. Contact us via email at edu@harrogate.gov.uk or telephone 01423 556077.

For a detailed statistical overview of the Harrogate district economy, including shop vacancy rates over the past 12 months, please click here.

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Shop Vacancy Rates

Shop Vacancy Rates and Rental levels

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