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Ilkley named among Britain's top shopping towns


Ilkley has come 10th nationally in a list of the country's leading shopping destinations, which has been put together by a retail property consultant.


The 'Vitality Ranking' report from Harper Dennis Hobbs looks at the health of high streets and shopping centres - including the change in residents' movement, vacancy rates and suitability to local consumers' demands.


Ilkley and Skipton are the top two locations in the North of England, followed by Beverley, Chester and Harrogate.


Clitheroe and York also make the Top 50 nationally, with Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire coming out as the number one.


Ilkley moves up from 29th place in 2019, while Skipton jumps 98 places from 110th in the last study.


Andy Metherell, head of retail consultancy at HDH, says: “Our analysis is unique as we use variables that both consumers and retailers consider when assessing shopping locations to rank the top 1,000 retail centres in Great Britain. This Vitality Ranking looks very different from previous years as the ‘retail health’ of high streets across the country has seen contrasting fortunes since the start of the pandemic.


“The most vital retail centres currently provide services that are essential to people’s lives, such as grocers and pharmacies. These essential retailers have been able to trade throughout the strictest lockdowns, and consumers have not been willing or able to travel far to visit these stores. Shopping patterns have therefore changed significantly since the start of the pandemic, and consumers’ local high streets are benefitting at the expense of major destinations.”


The full report is available here.

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