More than one in ten shops in Dalston are empty
By ABattisby | Friday, February 12, 2010, 16:38
More than one in ten shops in Dalston are empty, accprdong to a new survey.
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Empty shops in Dalston courtesy of Open Dalston
The Hackney Gazette reported on the British Property Federation's findings.
The federation looked at high streets in 700 shopping centres across the UK.
In December last year researchers noted 13.7 per cent of shops in Dalston were empty, up on June 2008 when 4 per cent were empty.
In London and the South East researchers found that the average high street vacancy was nine per cent.
In Hackney Central the number of empty shops has increased from just over one per cent in June 2008 to nearly 6 per cent in December last year.
With an increase in internet shopping, and a rise in rent costs in the "up and coming" area, shopkeepers are struggling to maintain their locations.
Regular Hackney Twitterer Katy Beale suggested acquiring some funding to transform them.
With Dalston being such a creative space, I am sure this would be a popular idea.
Comments
I remember one of the shops in Kensington High Street standing empty a couple of years ago was taken over by some artists and turned into a gallery and performance space. Unfortunately they did so by squatting so they got kicked out eventually but it was really fun for a while.
By vardebedian at 07:06 on 19/02/10
ReportOver in Taunton (long way, I know!) one of the empty shops has been converted into a public space celebrating the town (see tinyurl.com/yg3a7xx). Seems like a sensible way to make the shopping areas look a bit more vibrant and make positive use of otherwise derelict space.
By Seamus_McC at 06:56 on 19/02/10
Report