Almost one in five shops in Rochdale town centre are empty, new research has revealed.
Forty-three shops are now unoccupied – the second highest figure in the North West and the eighth highest in the country amongst towns of a similar size.
Figures recorded by The Local Data Company also revealed that in the last six months for every new retailer that has opened almost two have closed down – with 10 businesses moving into Rochdale and 18 shutting up shop.
The report also revealed that the town centre has 10 charity shops, almost twice the national average.
Ten per cent of town centre businesses are hair, health and beauty businesses and another ten per cent are food and drink businesses.
The area of the town centre they studied is defined as the retail centre under Department of Communities and local government guidelines and includes areas such as Drake Street.
But Rochdale does have lower than average levels of vacant floor space, as the majority of the vacant units are small - a factor which the chairman of the Voice of Rochdale Independents group Paul Turner-Mitchell believes has not helped attract national brands to the town because they need more room.
Mr Turner-Mitchell said: "As the second largest borough in Greater Manchester, Rochdale must have a strong town centre with a far better retail offer, a place where business can thrive. However, sadly, the decline is continuing.
"The Shop Local campaign has been very successful in showcasing the number of quality independent retailers in the town centre and consumers continued support is vital.
"Decisive, innovative and meaningful short term regeneration by Rochdale Council is what is required now."
Simon Danczuk, the Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Rochdale said: "These figures would be even worse if some vacant shops had not been recently filled by charities, pawn brokers and amusement arcades.
"It's only a couple of weeks ago when Councillor Greg Couzens went on BBC Northwest news claiming there were only 14 empty shops in our town.
"Whilst I'm all in favour of redeveloping our town centre in the years to come I raise the point yet again whether the council's and Rochdale Development Agency's plans for its future are realistic."
Andy Zuntz, executive director of Rochdale Council said: "The impacts of the recession on our high street have been clear for everybody to see. But we’re confident about 2010 and it’s important we remain focused on recovery.
"This year we’ve seen a marked slowdown in the vacancy rates and are starting to see new businesses opening up on the high street and an increase in the number of tenancy enquiries.
"We will be introducing special short-term leases which also provide finance for general maintenance aimed at supporting non-commercial organisations to occupy empty units.
"Organisations that are able to bring something additional to the town centre are eligible to apply for grant funding to help them take on empty retail premises.
"We are determined to do everything we can to support our town centres and are listening to what our retailers have to say so that we can work together to develop joint initiatives that offer real help and support to both new and existing businesses."
Showing 1 to 6 of 6 comments | View All
HH Judge Mental, Chavdale. (13/02/2010 at 11:22)
Until the town sorts itself out in a social sense, it's going nowhere commercially!
Harrysmate, Rochdale (13/02/2010 at 14:20)
What The Hell (13/02/2010 at 23:20)
D.Ashworth, Rochdale (14/02/2010 at 21:19)
This news is not surprising, the fact that 4 out of 5 shops are still functioning is the amazing statistic - but life doesn't sit still. Things will change, more businesses will struggle. Rochdale's management can't rely on The Market Economy to save it from the dogs because markets don't act in favour of anyone except those prepared to take a risk and exploit it.
This is a stuck record discussion though, the next track we want to hear is what is the plan? We have been asking for this for months. I am not even going to get enthused about this post. Until the management set out a plan, open it to public challenge and input, things will get worse.
On a slightly unrelated note, I hope Ethel Austin survives somehow as they are on the fringes in a rubbish location in our town (it's called the back of beyond within Rochdale Exchange....next door to the vacuum that was Littlewoods, out of site and out of mind amidst tumbleweed). The staff are decent and helpful people, and the shop sells modest but reasonable stuff.
Finally, there is the devil's advocate point. Does it matter? Perhaps our needs are served by a mixture of online shopping for the cheapest item down to the penny, and the Death Star Hypermarkets as provided by the AsdaTescoMorrison Empire? Maybe we should surrender the town to those who long to roam places where no one is in control, and allow the place to become a sponge for all that is sorry and unpleasant but currently on the fringes of society? Perhaps this is what the planners want? Our patchwork shopping experience providing islands of retailing accidents that look to have been developed by accident, or the wandering crayon of a chimpanzee?
sonofa tool (15/02/2010 at 10:22)
Luise, Sydney (15/02/2010 at 12:46)