Vacancy ‘blight’ will grow in Newry unless rates are tackled

That was the message to emerge following the completion of a vacancy survey, carried out by Newry BID in conjunction with Newry Enterprise Agency.

The survey recorded more than 105 vacant premises in the city centre with more to assess and more becoming vacant every week.

Last year Newry BID and Newry Chamber were amongst 23 business organisations, chambers of commerce and Business Improvement Districts who wrote to every MLA and MP urging similar rates relief for Northern Ireland High Street businesses that other parts of the UK are receiving.

That followed the recent UK budget, which hiked employers’ National Insurance and the Living Wage but provided 40% rates relief for independent retail, hospitality and leisure businesses to offset the increases in England.

The letter stated: “Our members are struggling to pay the highest business rates in the UK. The decision by the Chancellor to add to this burden by increasing Employers National Insurance will have a negative impact on local jobs, the viability of small businesses and restrict the growth of our economy.

“This hike along with a 6.7% increase in the Living Wage is a huge cost for our members to absorb.”

Figures from the vacancy survey were revealed in Newry BID’s latest news letter to members.

"The challenges that the centre of Newry faces is not unique as evidenced by continued High street struggles with the closures such as New Look’s exit from Ireland, resulting in 26 stores closing and 347 jobs lost,” it said.

"Similarly, Quiz is downsizing, and Ted Baker has transitioned to an online-only model after entering administration in March 2024.

"This universality of the challenge to retail and hospitality provides no comfort.

"The centre of Newry’s competitors is increasingly the Boulevard and Damolly with their free parking and non-town centre rates, whilst Dundalk is an ever-increasing challenge to our night-time economy.

"Unless structural change to rates, parking, taxi legislation etc is introduced by Stormont and our local Councils the blight of vacancy will unfortunately continue to grow. Work is continuing on what we can do collectively to address this downward trend.”