Vacancy Rate
Vacancy rate—measuring the percentage of unoccupied retail space in shopping centres, high streets, and retail hubs—is a crucial barometer of economic health and consumer confidence in the UK jewellery market. Rising vacancies can signal shifting footfall patterns, changing consumer behaviour (e.g., moving to online), and increased competition for physical stores, all of which directly impact location and expansion strategies for jewellery businesses. Jewellery Focus offers trade‑focused analysis of vacancy‑rate trends, drawing on commercial real-estate data, regional comparisons, and forecasting. We explore causes (from macroeconomic pressure to changing demographics), implications for retailers and suppliers, and proactive strategies such as pop-up shows, concession models, and hybrid retail formats. Our coverage empowers jewellers, brand managers, developers, and suppliers to adapt retail strategy, sourcing decisions, and investment planning in response to vacancy‑driven shifts in the jewellery retail landscape.
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Jan- 2023 -27 JanuaryRetailers
Vacancy rates improve to 13.8% in Q4
The overall vacancy rate improved to 13.8% in the fourth quarter of 2022, which was 0.1 percentage points better than Q3 and 0.6 percentage points better than the same period last year, according to the latest BRC/LDC monitor. This was the fifth consecutive quarter of falling vacancy rates. All locations…
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Oct- 2022 -28 OctoberRetailers
Store vacancy rate falls but remains below pre-pandemic levels
In the third quarter of 2022, the overall GB vacancy rate decreased to 13.9%, a 0.1% rise from Q2 and 0.6% better than the same period last year, according to the latest monitor from the BRC and Local Data Company. This was the fourth consecutive quarter of falling vacancy rates.…
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Sep- 2020 -3 SeptemberRetailers
Retail vacancy rate reaches six-year high
Retail shop vacancies have reached a six-year high due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research from Springboard. The research found the UK vacancy rate rose to 10.8% in July up from 9.8% in January, which means it is now at the highest level since January…
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May- 2020 -11 MayRetailers
Trouble ahead for retail vacancy rates, warns BRC
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Local Data Company has said the new BRC-LDC Vacancy Monitor has revealed that the rate of store vacancies increased to 12.2% in March. The monitor also reported a 0.3% decrease in vacancy rates in shopping centres to 14.1% compared with 14.4%. The South West and Wales…
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Jun- 2018 -5 JuneRetailers
Smaller shopping centres worst hit by closures
Smaller shopping centres were the worst affected by the number of store closures last year, a new study has shown. Data compiled by retail and leisure researchers, the Local Data Company, showed shopping centres which were given a LDC Health Index Score ranking of 300 or lower saw vacancy rates…
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May- 2018 -14 MayRetailers
Wet start to April dampens retail footfall
Footfall in April decreased by 3.3%, which is a significant decline compared to the 1.6% increase seen the previous year. New data from retail intelligence firm Springboard revealed that there has been no growth in footfall for any UK region for two consecutive months. Most regions saw a slower rate…
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Aug- 2017 -14 AugustEconomy
Retail parks outperform high street and shopping centres
Retail parks showed a growth in footfall in July, with high streets and shopping centres suffering a decrease, figures from retail footfall analysts Springboard show. Footfall on the high streets fell by 2.1% which shopping centres showed a 1.3% decline. Retail parks saw a 1.7% increase. July was the fourth…
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May- 2016 -16 MayEconomy
High street footfall reaches two-year low
The high street has seen its deepest decline in footfall since February 2014, as shopper numbers fell by 4.6% in April. The latest Footfall and Vacancies Monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard found that overall retail footfall fell 2.4% compared with the same month last year, although…
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Feb- 2016 -15 FebruaryEconomy
January sees best overall footfall performance in two years
Retail footfall in January has recorded growth of 1.2% compared with the same month last year – its best performance since January 2014. That’s according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor which found the increase was significantly above the 2.2.% decline seen in December…
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Dec- 2015 -15 DecemberEconomy
Shop vacancy rates continue to fall in November
The number of vacant shops in Britain has continued to fall in November to 12.7% – the lowest level since February 2010. That is according to the latest data from the Local Data Company (LDC) which found the overall vacancy rate (retail and leisure) was down 0.3% when compared with…
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