Supply chain transport planning will increasingly focus on retail locations outside of town centres, an expert has claimed.
Matthew Hopkinson, director of the Local Data Company, has highlighted the fact that many firms are struggling to lease out town centre retail properties, as many of the chains want stores on the outskirts that closer meet their requirements.
He said: "There are a number of dynamics, and those dynamics vary depending on where you are in the country and the type of shop and population that you are serving."
Key factors that are leading to shops adopting out-of-city locations include the rents, rates and services charges, as well as infrastructure issues.
Mr Hopkinson said that many companies are looking to have large stores with access to parking that city centres cannot accommodate.
Recent figures published by the British Retail Consortium and Springboard-ATCM showed that the number of high street vacancies is now running at 11.2 per cent, with the north and yorkshire experiencing the highest rates.
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