By George Nott2021-03-15T12:38:00+00:00
Space has opened up in out-of-town retail parks – and shoppers feel more comfortable there. So food retailers are moving in. But will the trend last?
It wasn’t just the high street: in recent years, out-of-town retail has been in a sorry state. Retail park stalwarts like Carpetright, New Look and Homebase were forced into company voluntary arrangements (CVAs) to survive, while Toys R Us and Maplin plunged into administration.
Even before Covid-19, retail park developments were grinding to a halt, down 15 to 20% year on year, according to a 2019 Cushman & Wakefield report, despite “little evidence of over-supply”.