Which brands do you most want to see taking up empty units in your town or city centre…
…and importantly, are you working, as a team, to try recruit them…?
Typically there are a number of ways places develop their list:
- checking what they have currently and what’s missing;
- consulting residents and existing business owners on what they’d like to see;
- comparing with neighbouring and similar places to see what they have that you could;
- looking out for agent and property director requirements lists where they set out target locations for new openings.
There’s also a fifth – so far less well-used route – a location planning, data-based one – which we definitely think more could adopt.
Identifying your targets and then working together to recruit them is one of the key tasks we set for ‘place partnership’ teams in locations we’re supporting on tackling highstreet vacancy…
…on the basis that it’s more likely to deliver lettings that add to the mix and are welcomed than if you think of this as “just an agent-landlord thing”.
It’s also worth emphasising that brands are only one of three potential go-to options, the others being independents and uses off our ‘alternative’ / additional list. But the approach is the same.
It’d be really interesting to hear what the targets are for your place and the steps you’re taking to try attract them…!
