An inquiry examining the future viability of Hambleton’s market towns has highlighted concerns over empty shops.
As it emerged Hambleton District Council had applied for a share of the £675m Government Future High Streets Fund to improve vacant premises above shops in Northallerton, the results of a four-month study by the authority’s scrutiny committee revealed North Yorkshire’s county town had a lower empty premises than elsewhere in the district.
Members of the committee said it was vital that the authority did not focus efforts on just Northallerton, where 6.9 per cent of premises are vacant, as the rate in Stokesley was 9.6 per cent, Thirsk was 10 per cent, Easingwold 10.8 per cent and Bedale 11.6 per cent.
Nevertheless, the four-month inquiry found all the district’s market towns appeared to have suffered less from the emergence of online shopping than many other areas with lower shop vacancy rates than the national average of 12.7 per cent.
Councillor Kevin Hardisty old members: “We can’t be complacent. We need to reduce those figures in every single market town.”
The study concluded while efforts were underway to stop empty premises becoming eyesores by introducing window wrapping, it was “sometimes a challenge” to attract businesses into empty properties, and often the factors were outside the control of the council.
The committee’s deputy chairman, Councillor David Hugill said the council was examining footfall – the number of people who visit an area – to get a stronger grasp of the issues, but that did not necessarily translate into how
much money was being spent in an area.
He said it was right to encourage pop-up shops. Cllr Hugill said: “The thing that really frustrates residents and shoppers is to see empty shops and that is something we are working hard to make sure doesn’t happen.
“Northallerton and our other market towns have less empty shops than would be the average, but we still really feel it could be better.”
The inquiry has issued seven recommendations, including encouraging new market traders and the reinstatement of the farmers markets and increasing efforts to harness opportunities presented by hosting major sporting events and other bespoke events such as festivals and seasonal markets.
The committee’s recommendations will be considered by the authority’s cabinet next month.
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