Wilmslow has been named one of the top 25 shopping destinations in the UK, according to this year’s Vitality Rankings, which assess the health of 1,000 retail centres across the UK.
The town, which has increased its position by 41 places from number 66 in 2022 (the last time the index was published) joins the likes of Sloane Street, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Harrogate, Cambridge, Bath and York in the top 25 and is one of only two destinations in the North West to make the top 25, with the other being Chester.
Newmark’s 2024 Vitality Rankings are compiled by Newmark Retail’s London-based strategic consultancy and analytics team and are are based on a range of data including shopping spend per annum, footfall figures, retail unit vacancy rate, the change in vacancy rate, and space being adapted for other uses.
This year’s rankings indicated a strong recovery for many shopping centres and high streets as shoppers return to pre-pandemic shopping habits. Luxury destinations attained higher positions in this year’s rankings which was attributed to the cost-of-living crisis, caused by inflation and other economic headwinds, less likely to impact shoppers in these areas. Affluent commuter towns also retained their high positions as local residents were cited as more likely to undertake hybrid working.
Lisa Russett, Wilmslow Business Improvement District Manager said: “We’re delighted to have made the top 25 retail centres in the UK! It’s a fantastic accomplishment for the town which is home to more than 100 luxury brands alongside independents and popular high street names. We’ve had lots of exciting new retail, leisure and hospitality openings recently including Forbes, The Stolen Lamb and Sculpt Haus, with more on the way!”
