More than 50 business units in Swindon’s town centre remain closed, but it is lower than last year.
Research carried out by the Adver revealed the town’s main retail area has 54 dormant spaces. The borough council’s planning map says there is space for 220 stores.
But the council member in charge of Swindon’s town centre believes the plan to build a modern town centre is on track.
READ MORE: Store closures in Swindon during the Covid-19 pandemic
When the Adver carried out the same research last February, it found 57 of the units were empty.
Included in the Adver’s count were Regent Street, Canal Walk, The Parade, Bridge Street, Fleet Street, Farington Road, Market Street and Havelock Street, as well as Regent Circus and the Brunel Shopping Centre.
The total of 54 units does not take into account the empty tented market.
Among the brands to leave the town centre in 2020 were Debenhams, Sainsbury’s and Top Shop which came on top of a 2019 that saw losses including Starbucks, Morrisons and Argos.
The Brunel currently has 16 empty units but FI Real Estate Management, the company that owns the centre, did not want to comment.
Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for the area said: “Our long term plan for a modern town centre is working.
“In the two years I have been cabinet member, £100 million has been secured by the council for specific projects that will improve our town centre and be a catalyst for real change in the next 10 years.
“A crane is already on our skyline next to Fleming Way and we have the popular Outlet Centre, and Old Town, with hundreds of shops close by.
“The Advertiser has proven something few people will believe about our town centre, there are more shops in our town centre now than 12 months ago.
“Barely a month goes by without a recognised brand announcing closures or going bankrupt. Online shopping is a serious issue for the high street and Swindon is not a special case."
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Coun Heenan added that work is ongoing to try to make the town centre more vibrant.
“Few people realise progress can only occur by working in partnership with willing owners," He said. “20 opened after the last lockdown and an example of the work happening in the background is the Bridge Street Fleet Street area where Coun Gary Sumner and I have held workshops with InSwindon, owners, investors and other interested parties to find ways to encourage redevelopment and new homes.
“One of those has seen visible changes start and confirmed they would soon be converting a large building on Fleet Street into a high quality co-living space for 28 people.
“But the feedback that stood out was the clear message that the constant negativity and sniping does hurt perceptions. We must be more positive about town if it is to have a bright future."
You can view all of the empty units in the gallery at the top of the article.
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