GREEN-STREET
New retail and leisure research has revealed a boom in commercial real estate activity over 2023. The latest report by the Local Data Company and Green Street, covering key developments across the entire GB retail and leisure market over 2023, shows a spike in numbers of both closures and openings, representing significant churn. The overall data picture demonstrates the resilience and flexibility of GB retailers and leisure operators in the face of widespread economic difficulty, with clear opportunities emerging for businesses and landlords.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240321897891/en/
Local Data Company 2023 Retail and Leisure Trends Analysis (Graphic: Green Street & Local Data Company)
Rises in interest rates and operational costs compounded the challenges for GB retailers, leading to a year-on-year increase in closures of 14% between 2022 and 2023. However, closures were somewhat tempered by a 5% rise in openings during the same period, indicating a much more resilient and adaptable market than has been seen in previous years. Innovative changes of use and retail-to-residential conversions have become increasingly attractive, offering an economically viable option to address vacancies, align locations with current demand and revitalise town centres.
Retail parks were a particular area of strength, continuing the positive trajectory they have seen in recent years. With a net increase in units of 0.4% over 2023, they were the only location type to see a positive overall change. Demand remained high for retail park units, driving a 1.4% year-on-year decrease in vacancy rate. Further decreases are expected as retailers continue to expand their out-of-town offer, with investors in this space projected to see some rental growth.
While competition from out-of-town retail drove a 1.3% decrease in units for shopping centres, vacancy did improve by 0.5%, reflecting continued efforts to attract occupiers following the pandemic as well as convert long term vacant space into other uses. Analysis by Green Street reveals that strong, experience-led tenant mix is the key to thriving shopping centres; accordingly, for many retailers in this sector, the focus has been on creating immersive in-store experiences and prioritising highly-visible prime locations.
Barbers, nail salons and beauty salons were among the fastest-growing categories in 2023, reflecting sustained demand for personal grooming services. Convenience stores also continued to expand, with c-store formats ideally positioned to cater to cost of living-influenced shopping trends for more frequent trips and smaller basket sizes. Green Street predicts that community provision will continue to be a major theme in local retail strategy, with mixed-use development projects becoming easier to realise following changes to UK planning regulations.
Despite the economic headwinds seen over 2023, the latest data indicates a notable level of resilience across GB retail and leisure. While inflation and interest rates ease, making space for growth, uncertainty is still present in the form of anticipated economic and political change. Green Street and LDC anticipate that flexibility and careful strategy will enable agile retailers and developers to navigate any upcoming challenges and identify opportunities.
Notes for editors
Please contact the LDC Press Office with any additional data or interview requests at press@localdatacompany.com or 07889591487.
The full report will be available to download via the LDC website on Thursday 21st March. Please visit www.localdatacompany.com/insights/reports to access a copy.
The full report will include further detail on:
- Openings and closures
- Vacancy rates
- Multiple vs independent performance
- Growing and declining retail and leisure categories
- Central London’s office hotspots
- Long-term vacancy rates
- Reoccupation of ex-Arcadia sites and department stores
- The potential for repurposing and repositioning retail assets, including via retail-to-residential conversion
Methodology
The Local Data Company visits over 3,300 towns and cities (retail centres and government-defined retail core), retail parks and shopping centres across England, Scotland and Wales.
Towns are updated on a 6- to 12-month cycle depending on size and churn, with both a field survey and office research team tracking changes in the local market.
Each centre has been physically walked and each premises recorded as vacant, occupied or demolished as recorded on the day of survey. Vacant units are units that did not have a trading business at that premise on the day of survey.
‘Retail’ refers to convenience retail, comparison goods retail and service retail, while ‘leisure’ refers to leisure destinations, namely entertainment venues, restaurants, bars, pubs & clubs, coffee shops and fast food outlets.
The GB vacancy rate analyses the top 650 town centres across England, Wales and Scotland.
About Local Data Company
The Local Data Company is the UK’s most accurate retail location insight company. We track openings and closures activity for every retail and leisure business across the country. Our data, analytics and insights power strategy and decision-making for businesses working across retail, leisure, out-of-home media, investment, property and financial services. For more information, please see www.localdatacompany.com.
About Green Street
Green Street is the preeminent provider of actionable commercial real estate research, news, data, analytics, and advisory services in the U.S. and Europe. For more than 35 years, Green Street has delivered unparalleled intelligence and trusted data on the public and private real estate markets, helping investors, banks, lenders, and other industry participants optimize investment and strategic decisions. The firm delivers exclusive market information, conclusion-driven insights, and predictive analytics through a SaaS platform. To learn more, please visit www.greenstreet.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240321897891/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Natus Sensory Appoints Arne Boye Nielsen to Board of Directors8.1.2026 08:00:00 CET | Press release
Natus Sensory, a global leader in sensory and diagnostic solutions, today announced the appointment of Arne Boye Nielsen to its Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107392331/en/ Arne Boye Nielsen Arne brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in diagnostics and medical technology, most notably as President of Demant Diagnostics, where he built and scaled the business into a global leader over three decades. During his tenure, Arne played a central role in shaping Demant Diagnostics’ long-term strategy, portfolio expansion, and international growth, establishing it as a cornerstone of Demant’s global healthcare footprint. In addition to his executive leadership background, Arne brings extensive board experience. His deep expertise across diagnostics, governance, and value creation will further strengthen Natus Sensory’s Board as the company contin
4Moving Biotech Receives FDA IND Clearance for 4P004, Strengthening Its Position as a Leading Innovator in Disease-Modifying Osteoarthritis Therapeutics8.1.2026 07:30:00 CET | Press release
FDA IND clearance enabling the worldwide expansion of the INFLAM MOTION Phase 2a trial, involving major U.S. sites Advancing the first clinical proof of concept in OA with a first-in-class intra-articular GLP-1 agonist A holistic clinical strategy design establishing the foundation for a future accelerated approval pathway 4Moving Biotech (4MB), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing next-generation, disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis (OA), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for 4P004, enabling the expansion of the Phase 2a INFLAM MOTION clinical trial into the United States (US). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107798042/en/ 4Moving Biotech (4MB), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing next-generation, disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis (OA), today announced that the U.S. F
Organon Enters into a Commercialization Agreement for Daiichi Sankyo’s Nilemdo®in France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway8.1.2026 07:30:00 CET | Press release
The agreement builds on Organon’s cardiovascular disease portfolio, leveraging expertise to expand access to new treatments for patients with dyslipidemia, especially statin-intolerant patients.This collaboration addresses a critical gap in care that disproportionately affects women, who are at a 47% higher risk of developing statin intolerance compared to men.i Organon today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe to commercialize Nilemdo® (bempedoic acid) in France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Nilemdo® is a new, first-in-class drug indicated for patients with high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk. It provides an alternative treatment for patients that cannot be treated effectively with statins.ii “This collaboration combines Organon’s commercial agility with Daiichi Sankyo’s expertise in cardiovascular innovation to bring Nilemdo® to patients in France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway,” says Thibault Crosnie
Prodapt Earns ISO 42001 Certification, the New Global Benchmark for Responsible Enterprise AI8.1.2026 07:00:00 CET | Press release
Prodapt today announced that it has been awarded the ISO 42001 certification, the world’s first and the only global standard for AI Management Systems (AIMS). Marking a significant milestone in its journey, Prodapt is setting a higher benchmark to deliver secure, ethical, and scalable AI for global enterprises. ISO 42001 lays a rigorous framework for governing AI across strategy, technology, and operations. The certification, awarded by an independent accredited body, validates Prodapt’s enterprise-grade AI management framework, including executive-led oversight, strong technology foundations, and disciplined operational processes. These measures ensure AI systems are responsibly designed, deployed, monitored, and evolved throughout their lifecycle. The evaluation emphasizes risk management, ethical AI practices, transparency, and scalability, confirming Prodapt’s ability to proactively identify and mitigate risks while ensuring accountability in AI-driven outcomes. Human-in-the-loop c
Azafaros to Present at J.P. Morgan’s 44th Annual Healthcare Conference8.1.2026 07:00:00 CET | Press release
Azafaros, a company building a portfolio to become a leader in lysosomal storage disorders with the goal of addressing neurological symptoms, today announced that it will present at J.P. Morgan’s 44th Annual Healthcare Conference on Thursday, January 15. The company’s presentation will begin at 9:30 am PT/12:30 am ET/6:30 am CET. The presentation will focus on the company’s lead product, nizubaglustat, a potential treatment for rare lysosomal storage disorders with neurological involvement including GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses and Niemann-Pick type C disease ((NPC). Two pivotal Phase 3 studies investigating nizubaglustat in GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses and NPC are currently enrolling, with data expected in 2027. The studies build on positive data from a robust clinical program including the Phase 2 RAINBOW study and the PRONTO natural history study. The Phase 3 studies are financed following the company’s successful completion of €132 million series B round completed in 1H 2025. About nizubaglust
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom