A SURVEY (by the Local Data Company) claiming Liverpool has a high number of empty retail properties did not paint an accurate picture.

The actual number of city centre voids, according to figures compiled on behalf of Liverpool’s BID, is fewer than 10%. Of this number, some are premises being currently refurbished, yet still count as voids.

The fact is that, for many years, Liverpool suffered from under-investment in retail and this is, in part, one of the elements of the success of Liverpool One – that there was the latent demand that was waiting to be exploited.

Liverpool One has massively increased the retail critical mass within the city and has attracted a footfall of over 22m shoppers in its first year and, at 42 acres, is the largest retail development in Europe.

It opened last year with 39 units and now has 120 occupied – an occupancy level of 96%. This is on a par with that of a mature development in healthy trading conditions. Retailers were watching when the development opened and are now returning to the table to take units.

Retailers do speak to each other, so we know that the development and the city has good word-of-mouth feedback.

Outside of Liverpool One, Church Street remains a key part of the city’s retail offer with Primark and Marks & Spencer providing the anchors to what is still an important destination in its own right.

The city also boasts thriving independent retail quarters including Bold Street and Ropewalks, providing a diversity of retail offer that many locations would struggle to match.

According to the ATCM-Springboard HIS Monthly Summary, average year to date figures for the period January – June (July’s figures are not yet available) show that footfall in Liverpool city central is up 14.2% year-on-year, while all towns and cities witnessed a decrease of 4.5%.

Liverpool is not losing retailers to other cities or out-of-town retailers.

In fact, 65 brands are now available in the city that are new to shoppers in the region.

Liverpool saw an 18% rise in visitors over the last 12 months and is now placed fifth nationally as a desirable retail destination, according to research by business advisory service Experian.