Vacancy rates across all UK shopping locations inched up to 12.2% in March, up from 12.1% in December 2019 according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium and Local Data Company.

The vacancy rates for high street locations stood at 12.3% first quarter of 2020, compared to 12.1% in December 2019.

Shopping centre vacancy rates actually fell in the first quarter of the year, down to 14.1% for the period compared to 14.4% in December 2019, while vacancies stood at 8.2% across retail parks, up from 8.1% in the final quarter of 2019.