Are your vacancy numbers what they seem…?

It’s happened again.

📉 Third time in recent weeks we’ve shared the ‘audit, engage’ data for one of our #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations and shown a different picture emerging than the one from our first walk-see there.

The number of #highstreet units in this location listed as ‘empty and available’ is one third lower than the original headline vacant figure.

🤳🏽 Just to explain. We log all units that appear vacant then check their status with #property agents and landlords to see if they’ve let, are ‘under offer’ or aren’t proactively being marketed because they’re refurb or development sites.

Of course the figures include some units that looked vacant and actually weren’t – but that in itself is a lesson about the robustness of data based just on observation. They tell a more complex story, but there are positives in the mix.

Interest. Investment. New openings.

🔑 Of course it’s challenging still and there’s work to do, but what’s encouraging is that here, as in the other two locations, the majority of the units we’re talking about have let in recent months, with #hospitality (mostly in this case) and #retail among the uses.

It emphasises again why we believe so strongly in places – whether that be council or BID or the two together – taking charge of their own vacancy numbers and not relying for policy and project decisions on the national narrative.

🤔 Do contact us if empty shops are an issue in your place…?

📸 Meantime, took a break from the desk to check what’s happening in Oxford, just as an observer these days. And tho we’re not 💯 across the back story of these units as we were in city centre management, there do look to be some positive signs here also…!