Jersey's high street sees drop in empty properties

It is despite the pandemic and the rise in online buying. Credit: ITV Channel TV.

Jersey's high street has seen a drop in the number of vacant properties, new data shows.

Jersey Business and the Parish of St Helier have announced the vacancy rate dropped to 7.5% for January to March 2022, compared to 8.6% in the last quarter of 2021.

In the UK, the high street vacancy rate is higher at 14.1%. 

Lorie Rault, Head of Retail for Jersey Business, said: “Our retail landscape is showing its resilience, despite two years of the pandemic, and the resulting increase in online buying.

"We’ve seen new openings this year, and the expansion of existing outlets.

"In addition, the plans from Le Masurier, to regenerate more than two acres of central St Helier (subject to planning approval), will provide a much-needed boost to the Broad Street area and bodes well for the future of the retail experience for customers and businesses."

A separate report looked at covered shopping centres with more than ten individual shops - In St Helier, that includes The Parade, Liberty Wharf and the markets.

In the first quarter of this year, the vacancy rate was 7.5% compared to 19% in the UK. The Les Quennevais shopping area's vacancy rate has remained the same on the last quarter at 10%.