Retailers are eyeing Brantano’s estate after it collapsed into administration last week, but how attractive are the store locations? 

We take a detailed quantitative view of Brantano’s estate with figures provided exclusively by the Local Data Company.

Health Index rating

The Health Index calculates the health of a location by comparing the site to the UK average for a variety of variables that include the area’s vacancy rate, long-term vacancy rate, dwell time (percentage of food and beverage outlets), number of anchor retailers and the provision of a cinema. These are all factors that impact the retail performance of an area.

The majority of Brantano’s store network has a Health Index rating of six, the average UK score. 30 stores are located in areas with a Health Index rating of four or less out of nine.

List of potential occupiers for Brantano stores

FasciaParent companyClassification
Tapi Carpets & Floors Tapi Carpets & Floors Limited Floor coverings
Sports Direct Mash Holdings Limited Sports goods shops
B&M Home Store B&M Retail Ltd Discount store
Bargain Buys Poundworld Retail Holdings Limited Discount store
Poundland Poundland Group PLC Discount store
Home Bargains T.J. Morris Ltd Discount store
B&M Bargains B&M Retail Ltd Discount store
Pets At Home Pets At Home Group PLC Pet shops
Smyths Toys UK Ltd Smyths Toys UK Ltd Toy shops
Maplin Maplin Electronics Ltd Electrical goods & home entertainment
Dunelm Mill Dunelm (Soft Furnishings) Limited Soft furnishings

Reasoning:

• Large percentage of their exiting estate is located in retail parks

• Positive growth in the number of stores in the last 12 months (openings are greater than closures)

• Similar floorspace requirements to the existing Brantano stores

Methodology

Data on which this report is based is collected by physically visiting town centres and out-of-town locations across the UK. 

650 major UK towns, 898 shopping centres and 1,234 retail parks are updated on a six- or 12-month cycle.

The Health Index was developed by Local Data Company and Morgan Stanley, looking at the attractiveness of a retail location. Anchor retailers refer to a list of specified retailers which make a location more attractive. The index has several variables which are used to give a rating between one and nine, these are explained below:

VariablesExplaination
Population density Population size comapred to the number of units
Vacancy rate Vacant units as a proportion to total units compared to UK average for retail type e.g. Retail parks GB vacancy is 9.8%, a rate of 11.0 at a park would carry a score of -3
Persistent vacancy Number of vacant units vacant for longer than one year
Proportion of charity shops % of units occupied by charity shops compared to the UK average (+2.3% equals to -2 points)
Presence of Anchor retailers Point for every anchor retailer from a pre-selected list (e.g. Curry PC World, Next, M&S etc.)
Movement of anchor retailers broken down into opening and closing Plus or minus a point for every anchor retailer who has arrived or closed in the last 24 months
Dwell time % of leisure units in the retail location compared to the GUK average (-4.1% difference equals -4 points)
Department stores Three points for every department store in the retail location
Cinema score Three points for every cinema in the retail location

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