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Apr 2021
Harrogate district bucks UK trend with empty shops in decline
Across Britain the number of empty shops has risen again, but the Harrogate district has enjoyed a boost in businesses opening over the past 12 months.
In March 2020 8.6% of the district's retail units were empty, but in March 2021 this had dropped to 6.8%.
Research by the British Retail Consortium published by the BBC found that one in seven shops in Britain were empty, with the north of England said to be the most affected.
But the Harrogate district is bucking this trend - despite the repeated lockdowns to tackle the pandemic.
Tina Parker opened a French furniture store, Once Upon A Time, in Killinghall in September and said she would never look back:
Liz Hawkes, owner of the Watermark Gallery on Royal Parade in Harrogate, opened her premises just as the first lockdown was imposed last March. She said:
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David Lombardi opened his music shop, The Music Bank, in Knaresborough in October and said although he has not been open as much as he would like, the local support has been great. He said:
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