Most successful streets are Blatchington Road and Church Road. Blatchington Road has just one empty unit in its 78 shops while in Church Road there are just four empty units among the 182 shops representing an all-time record low vacancy rate for the long shopping street, famed for its varied restaurant offer of just 2.2%.

Western Road, Hove is not far behind these two top streets with a vacancy rate of only 3.7% having four voids in its stock of 107 units. The one street that bucks the trend is George Street with eight vacant units among the 86 shops giving a rate of 9.6%. However there are signs that some of the recent units left empty by national chains including Thorntons and Curry’s will soon be occupied by new businesses opening up.

Portland Road with 172 shops has just 9 units empty giving a vacancy rate of 5.2% while Boundary Road and Station Road, Portslade have 151 units and 9 vacancies giving a vacancy rate of 6%.

Details of the shop survey street by street taken in the first week of October are shown below:

• Western Road, Hove 107 units 4 vacancies 3.7%
• Church Road 182 units 4 vacancies 2.2%
• George Street 86 units 9 vacancies 9.6%
• Blatchington Road 78 units 1 vacancy 1.3%
• Portland Road 172 units 9 vacancies 5.2%
• Station/Boundary Rd 151 units 9 vacancies 6%