1 in 8 Scottish high street shops lying empty after 'decades of decline'
One in eight Scottish high street shops are lying empty after "decades of decline".
The average rate of vacant properties in Scotland's town centres was 12.3 per cent in 2023-24.
This was up from 11.9 per cent in 2022-23 and 11.4 per cent in 2021-22.
Scottish Labour has called for better funding for councils and rates to be slashed for local businesses to "breathe fresh life into town centres".
Scottish Labour Economy spokesperson Daniel Johnson said: 'The SNP has overseen decades of decline in Scotland's high streets.
'From our iconic cities to our small towns, high streets right across Scotland have been laid to waste by this SNP government.
'Under the SNP, businesses are struggling, shops are lying empty, and pavements are crumbling.
'For years the SNP has starved local communities of funding and failed to fully pass on rates relief to local businesses.
'A Scottish Labour government will breathe fresh life into town centres by delivering fair funding for Councils and overhauling business rates to level the playing field between local businesses and online giants.'
The worst hit area was South Ayrshire, with 35.3 per cent of town centre shops vacant. The next worst was Aberdeen on 20.7 per cent, with Fife not far behind at 18.8 per cent.
Dundee, North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire were all at 17.7 per cent, with Angus at 17.4 per cent and Falkirk at 17 per cent.
The area with the lowest share of empty town centre shops was the Western Isles on 3.3 per cent. This was followed by East Renfrewshire on 4.6 per cent and Inverclyde on 4.9 per cent.
Edinburgh was just behind on 5.4 per cent, as was Shetland on 5.8 per cent.
Several Scottish town centres are due to have regeneration projects in the near future.
Hamilton is set to revamp the Regent Shopping Centre by drastically reducing the number of vacant retail units, building new houses and creating new leisure activities, including a park.
Both Kilmarnock and Irvine are set to receive £2 million a year over the next decade to redevelop their centres.
Town centres up and down the country have been in decline for the past few decades, due to out of town shopping centres and people preferring to buy things online rather than in person.
A Scottish Government Spokesperson said: 'We are working with businesses to drive economic growth and prosperity in our towns, cities and communities and provide support through a competitive non-domestic rates relief package worth an estimated £733 million this year. This includes the the most generous small business rates relief in the UK.
'Scottish Ministers have repeatedly called on the UK Government to reverse its decision to increase employers' national insurance contributions, with recent analysis by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce highlighting it as a significant concern for businesses damaging confidence, investment, growth and jobs.'
What percentage of high street shops are vacant in my area?
Aberdeen City - 20.70%
Aberdeenshire - 10.30%
Angus - 17.40%
Argyll & Bute - 13.20%
Clackmannanshire - 10.80%
Dumfries & Galloway - 13.50%
Dundee City - 17.70%
East Ayrshire - 12.00%
East Dunbartonshire - 8.60%
East Lothian - 11.90%
East Renfrewshire - 4.60%
Edinburgh City - 5.40%
Eilean Siar (Western Isles) - 3.30%
Falkirk - 17.00%
Fife - 18.80%
Glasgow City - 12.10%
Highland - 14.30%
Inverclyde - 4.90%
Midlothian - 9.00%
Moray - 14.10%
North Ayrshire - 7.80%
North Lanarkshire - 17.70%
Orkney Islands - 9.20%
Perth & Kinross - 11.00%
Renfrewshire - 17.70%
Scottish Borders - 11.80%
Shetland Islands - 5.80%
South Ayrshire - 35.30%
South Lanarkshire - 14.80%
Stirling - 13.10%
West Dunbartonshire - 13.90%
West Lothian - 8.40%
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