There has been a rise in the amount of vacant shops in two areas of Three Rivers despite the number of empty units across the district being below the national average.

Three Rivers Distrcit Council's biannaul shop survey reveals there has been an increase in the number of vacant shops in Rickmansworth and Chorleywood since last Autumn.

Rickmansworth town centre’s vacancy rate is 13 per cent in the latest figures, up from 8 per cent in September, with 17 vacant shops compared with 11 last autumn.

Chorleywood now has a rate of 18 per cent with 10 vacant shops compared with a 12 per cent rate and seven vacant shops in the last survey.

But the survey, conducted in June, reveals that the district wide vacant retail unit rate remains at 7 per cent – the same as September 2020.

This compares to a national rate of 14.5 per cent according to British Retail Consortium figures.

The proportion of vacant units has decreased by 2 per cent at Moneyhill Parade, Mill End.

The proportion of vacant units has remained at the same low rates in Abbots Langley (2 per cent) and Maple Cross (0 per cent). Due to the ongoing redevelopment of the South Oxhey retail centre, the number of vacant units in that area at the time of the survey has been looked at separately, and was 63 per cent in 2020 and 62 per cent in 2021.

The survey also gathered data on premises which are open and trading and those which remain closed, rather than vacant. This shows that across the district there were 88 per cent (282) open retails units and 2 per cent (7) closed as of June.

The new data comes ahead of a number of new schemes being led by the council to both listen to the views of local retailers but also promote and support businesses in the High Street.

Cllr Sarah Nelmes, Leader of Three Rivers District Council, said: “Our shops and businesses are at the very heart of our communities, so it is very encouraging to see that the number of vacancies is lower than the national figures.

“But we know that in Rickmansworth and Chorleywood there has been an increase, and as a council we must do all we can to listen to the views and experiences of our retailers and support them as we strive to bounce back from the challenge of the last year and a half.”