Comment: It Is True – The Number of Empty Shops in Guildford Is Increasing

Published on: 20 Jul, 2018
Updated on: 23 Jul, 2018

Cllr Tony Rooth

By Tony Rooth

Tony Rooth is a former leader of Guildford Borough Council who recently resigned from the Conservative party to become an Independent councillor representing Pilgrims Ward, a ward that includes Puttenham, Seale and Sands, Shackleford and Wanborough). He served recently as the lead councillor for housing and spoke out on the failed “Village” project.

Here he looks at the state of health of Guildford’s retail sector. As you might expect, it is not all good news…

In January, I did a survey of shops in Guildford town centre to see how our retail sector is standing up to pressure from the internet, higher business rents and rates etc and to try to stimulate debate about the future of retail in Guildford.

Now as an Independent councillor I have done the same survey after a six-month gap. It shows that there has been a real increase in empty shops.

There are also rumours about other shops closing. What, for instance will Ben the future of Jamie’s Italian? Earlier this year, with intense competition the chain closed 12 of its 37 branches. Meanwhile, pressure seems relentless on big retailers like M&S, House of Fraser and Debenhams.

There is also speculation as to whether John Lewis, long awaited as a new flagship or “anchor” store for our town centre, will actually come here. They say they are not opening any new stores while Waitrose, part of the John Lewis Group, is closing a few of theirs.

Guildford High Street – what is its future?

Overall, in the ten streets I surveyed (not including Tunsgate Quarter) there are 24 empty units now, up from 11 in January. An increase of 13.

Only yesterday (July 19, 2018), the restaurant Cau announced they are closing their whole chain. This represents the loss of around 25 jobs and will create another empty unit in the Upper High Street. The closure follows that of the electrical store Maplins, situated opposite, following that chains move into administration earlier this year.

In times of stress it is often these slightly outlying areas such as the Upper High Street and parts of North Street, with their lower footfalls, that tend to suffer first. In the Friary shopping centre, the number of empty units dropped slightly from five to four, identical to the figures for White Lion Walk.

Some chains are staying in business but closing their Guildford branches, for example, Field and Trek (Upper High Street) and Loch Fyne (Chapel Street).

Guildford’s retail sector is dominated by clothes shops, in particular, high-end ladies fashion, homeware, restaurants, and the still-expanding number of coffee shops (how long can that last?)

60% off at The White Company in Tunsgate Quarter

Also very noticeable are the number of shops advertising “Sales”. “Up to 50 per cent off” is the average offering, some even higher – 70 per cent in many and even 75 per cent (!) at Urban Outfitters in The Friary.

Seasonal sales in summer are commonplace but have readers ever seen so many retailers with such big discounted sales going on for so long?

So what are the causes for this situation? Among the financial problems for retailers, including some chains, are: high rents and business rates, internet buying, political uncertainty, Brexit, and the resulting reluctance to spend. There are also concerns about access to and parking in the town centre.

At least one unit is still to be let in Tunsgate Quarter, others are currently being fitted or await occupation.

But not all is negative. Our Tunsgate traders did remarkably well to survive the roadworks and the construction work around Tunsgate Quarter which is now getting in more tenants. It will be interesting to see how this new shopping centre performs in the next few months.

Tunsgate Quarter deserted at 5.20pm on Guildford’s late night shopping day Thursday (July 19, 2018) while The Ivy restaurant is reported to be doing well.

Here is the result of my survey carried out first on January 12, just after the New Year sales, compared with the second which I conducted on July 1, a very busy Sunday:

High Street (including Upper High Street)
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul: Now eight empty units including Field & Trek (closed January) and Maplins (closed May, I think).

North Street
Jan: Just one unit empty next to Poundland on the long-awaited awaited redevelopment site.
Jul: Now four empty including East.

Fashion store East seems to have sadly gone west.

Friary Street
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul: Full (zero empty units) Friary Street is mostly cafes and restaurants. Very busy helped by outside seating and warm weather.

Swan Lane
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul: Two empty units.

Market Street
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul: Full (zero empty units) at present but Jones the Bootmaker closing down (increasing rent) and L’Occitane (moving to Tunsgate Quarter).

Tunsgate
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul Full (zero empty units). Businesses have survived, thankfully, the major disruption during the construction of Tunsgate Quarter and the refurbishment of the street.

Tunsgate Quarter
Jan: Closed opening delayed from original November date.
Jul: – Two units not open or not fully open – White Company and Cath Kidston – both relocated from town centre sites.

Castle Street
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul: Full (zero empty units).

Chapel Street
Jan: Full (zero empty units).
Jul: Two empty units, including Loch Fyne.

The Friary
Jan Five empty units.
Jul: Four empty units.

White Lion Walk
Jan Five empty units.
Jul: Four empty units.

One new arrival in Guildford’s North Street is Evapo (formerly Crispy Creme). “Vaping” shops and nail bars are an expanding sector of Guildford’s and the UK’s retail spectrum.

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