High Street vacancies remain 'stubbornly high'

High Street vacancies remain "stubbornly high", according to a report from the Local Data Company.

Its data for Britain showed that the average vacancy rate in the top 650 centres was 14.1%, while the North West had the highest vacancy rate of 20.1%. Rochdale is even higher at 21.5%, the highest it has ever been.

Matthew Hopkinson, director of the Local Data Company, which monitors High Street occupancy and vacancy rates, said: "Since August 2010 the national average has been above 14%, with a significant number being 'long-term sick' with little or no prospect of reoccupation as shops."

Many shops were being converted to leisure use, including restaurants, bars, cafes and betting shops, he said.

The report said that more than 500 new leisure units were created in the first half of the year.

The survey analysed more than 1,900 town centres, shopping centres and retail parks over the first half of the year.