It is a sign of perhaps the worst of the pandemic being behind us that the retail market is beginning to grow in and around the suburbs and villages of York.
This is despite imminent National Insurance tax rises, rocketing fuel bills and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Napoleon supposedly described the UK as a nation of shopkeepers, but according to a local property agent in this green and pleasant part of England, there are more people looking for retail premises than there are properties available.
Bucking national trend
Speaking recently to The York Press, chartered surveyor and property agent John Hornsby says there has been unprecedented demand for suburban shop units of all sizes in and around York, with the interest mostly coming from individuals looking to set up their own businesses or relocate from smaller existing premises.
Mr Hornsby, who is based in Acomb, said that despite concern over the number of vacant High Street shops throughout the country, York continued to buck the trend, especially in terms of suburban shop units and local businesses.
“We have let so many suburban shop units recently that there is actually a real shortage of properties currently available, as anyone looking will have discovered,” he said.
Investments proving popular
He said it was not only vacant shops that were in demand, with businesses as going concerns selling well too.
Recent sales he had arranged included two hairdressing salons, a village shop and tea room and a York restaurant which had recently gone under offer and was now progressing through legal formalities.
Investments were also proving popular, and he could see no let-up in the demand for retail units and there was clear confidence in the market which showed no sign of abating.
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