Hopes new retail figurehead can help revive St Peter Port town centre

A local business group in Guernsey hopes the appointment of a new figurehead for the sector can boost footfall and reduce the number of empty shops in St Peter Port.

While island's the second lockdown has meant non-essential retailers have had to close temporarily, around 20 shop units in the centre of town are currently vacant.

Guernsey Retail Group is currently recruiting a Head of Retail Development in an effort to head off any long-term decline.

The full time role will involve working with local businesses to help develop the island's retail sector and try and address some of the challenges they face, also liaising with government to inform decision-making on the issue.

The Guernsey Retail Group has been backed by the Committee for Economic Development, which has invested funding from the Future Guernsey Economic Fund to encourage more growth in the retail sector.