Lego store builds on city's shopping success story
The city council says shop vacancy rates are the lowest in 18 years.
**Lego store builds on city's shopping success story**
Hundreds of people waited in the fog for a new Lego store to open in Norwich.
The number of vacant shops in the city centre has dropped to its lowest level in 18 years, as crowds turned out for the launch of a new Lego store.
A Norwich City Council report said the choice by firms such as Lego to open new outlets showed the city was "a good place to invest".
Hundreds queued outside the Chantry Place shopping centre on Thursday before the Danish toy giant opened its latest store.
Council survey figures showed that 9.8% of retail units were empty last month, down from 15.2% in September last year.
The report did, however, acknowledge that the demolition of Anglia Square shopping centre – where 40 units were knocked down – had affected the figures.
Ian Stutely, the cabinet member for planning at the Green-run authority, said the numbers were "a real vote of confidence in Norwich as a shopping destination".
Although some well-known names have shut down – including River Island, Select and Claire's – others such as Swarovski and Menkind have opened branches.
The report also pointed to Lego's decision to open its 24th store in the UK.
In her report, the council's head of planning, Sarah Ashurst, said this was "the first time that vacancy rates for units [have] dropped below 10% since July 2008".
"This is a really positive sign and demonstrates that Norwich has a robust and thriving city centre," she said.
She also noted that some major sites were still empty, although there were plans to redevelop both the former Wilko and Debenhams stores.
QD's Andy Jermy said it was "quite sad" the firm no longer had a store in Norwich.
Another factor behind the drop in empty shops has been the demolition of Anglia Square, on the edge of the city centre, which started last year.
Removing 40 units in the precinct and surrounding area, many of them vacant, helped reduce the vacancy rate.
One of the main retailers at the site was discount chain QD, which opened its first store in Anglia Square in 1985.
Speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk about the opening of a new branch in Harleston, QD's head of operations Andy Jermy said the company hoped to return to the city one day.
"We would love to be back in Norwich, but it is finding the right opportunity to do so," he said.
Norwich City councillors are due to discuss the report on Monday.