Two organisations have published recently ‘vitality indexes’ for towns in 2023. The Vitality indexes are different in approach one concentrating on retail whilst the other concentrates on a far wider range of metrics. but have interesting results for Guildford.
Newmark have published their Retail Vitality Rankings 2024. Newmark us a number of variables to assess their marking including Shopper Spend, Vacancy Rate, Proportion of Catering Floorspace etc. Guildford ranks No 47. Which is an improvement of 2 as a comparison Farnham ranks 27 but this is a drop of 11 over 2022. Interestingly Newmark have noticed a increase in retail visits in historical centres, outpacing other similar locations.
Newmark have also identified that major retail centres like Reading are making a strong comeback after the pressures due to Covid.
The Full Report can be downloaded here.
LSH (Lambert Smith Hampton) have used 18 datasets to identify the best places to live and work in the UK, plus identifying those with the best growth prospects. It covers the 100 largest towns and cities outside London (Note depending on the list used Guildford is just outside the top 100 towns in the UK). The Top Ten have been determined rating Economy & Business, Living and Health & Environment. Woking makes a strong showing being rated 2nd overall.
The full report can be downloaded here.
Help us make Guildford better
We want our town to be vibrant, attractive and liveable. We support development that brings a sense of place and enhances the best aspects of our town. If such aims can be embraced, we believe Guildford has the chance to lead the way in enabling sensitive and sustainable development.
Pressures for development are increasing. Planning rules are being eased. The Society’s commitment to standing up for Guildford is needed more than ever.
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Getting involved allows the society to continue its work. We welcome new members, from every age and background. Membership provides an opportunity for you to contribute to the continued health of the town and surrounding area, and to meet other people who care about Guildford.
