Scottish shops demand business rates review after rise in shop vacancies

A rise in the number of shops in lying empty in Scotland has sparked a call from retailers for a review of business rates.

A rise in the number of shops in lying empty in Scotland has sparked a call from retailers for a review of business rates.

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) also wants the Scottish Government to reconsider imposing an increase in rates in the next budget as figures suggest the number of shop vacancies rose to their highest level in 18 months in the second quarter of this year.

According to figures released by the SRC and the Local Data Company, the overall vacancy rate reached 15.9% in the second quarter, with shopping centre vacancies worsening to 20.7% from the previous quarter and high street vacancies moving to 15.1%.

Only retail parks saw a slight improvement, with the number of vacancies dropping to 9.4%, the figures suggest.

David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said: “These are cheerless figures for retailers with physical bricks and mortar premises and for the health of Scotland’s retail destinations.

“Scotland’s shop vacancy rate nudged up in the second quarter and reached its highest level in 18 months, once again sitting above the UK average rate.