Harrogate has been named as the 17th best shopping destination in the UK in a new study.
Commercial real estate company Newmark analysed the health of 1,000 UK retail centres based on factors including retail unit vacancy rate, the change in vacancy rate, space being adapted for other uses, shopper spend per annum and footfall figures.
The company’s Vitality Rankings, which have been produced annually since 2014, this year ranked Harrogate in the top 25 best places to shop — ahead of York and Leeds.
The top 25 was dominated by southern locations. Cambridge city centre was named as the best place to shop, ahead of Cobham in Surrey and then five London locations.
The only northern locations to finish higher than Harrogate, which was ranked 15th last year, were Chester city centre in eighth and Ilkley, in 13th.
Newmark director Andy Metherell said in the introduction to the report:
“Luxury destinations have performed better this year than in the past: the demise of tax-free shopping may be affecting overall sales in these locations, but their retail vitality compared to other centres is stronger – particularly benefiting from tourism and the presence of high-net wealth individuals who are unaffected by cost of living.
“These specific trading dynamics may being boost luxury locations specifically, but overall the health of retail centres across the UK is looking better than at anytime in the past three years.”
Newmark Retail Vitality Rankings 2024, Top 25 Retail Centres. Source: Newmark
Read the full report here.
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