Worry over high rates of unused retail units

Almost one-fifth of town centre retail properties in Renfrewshire are empty, worrying new figures have revealed.

- EDEL KENEALY

Statistics, obtained by Neil Bibby MSP (inset), show the vacancy rate for high streets across the local authority area is 19 per cent.

Nationally, the data also shows the number of retail businesses with at least one employee fell to a 15-year low this year - as did employment within these businesses.

Between 2015 and 2025, both the number of retail employers and the number of jobs they provide had reduced by around a tenth, with more than 900 businesses and 24,600 jobs being lost over the decade.

Mr Bibby, Labour MSP for West Scotland, said: “When doing the Christmas shopping or hitting the Boxing Day sales, it is impossible to ignore the sorry state of our high streets at this time of year.