The worst Scottish town centres for empty shops as SNP criticised for ‘decades of decline’ on high streets

It comes as a new report revealed that one in every eight shops across the country is lying empty.

In 2023-24, the town centre rate in Scotland hit 12.3 per cent after rising for the second consecutive year. The worst hit area was South Ayrshire, with a staggering 35.3 per cent of town centre shops vacant, while in Aberdeen City Council it was 20.7 per cent. You can see the full figures below.

Scottish Labour criticised the SNP's failure to pass on business rates relief received by businesses in England. In previous years this relief was not passed on at all, and this year retail businesses and larger hospitality businesses in Scotland missed out.

Scottish Labour has renewed pledges to support high streets by delivering fair funding for local government and by reforming business rates to level the playing field between local businesses and online giants.

Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour Economy spokesperson, said: “The SNP has overseen decades of decline in Scotland's high streets. From our iconic cities to our small towns, high streets right across Scotland have been laid to waste by this SNP government.

“Under the SNP, businesses are struggling, shops are lying empty, and pavements are crumbling. For years the SNP has starved local communities of funding and failed to fully pass on rates relief to local businesses.

“A Scottish Labour government will breathe fresh life into town centres by delivering fair funding for councils and overhauling business rates to level the playing field between local businesses and online giants.”

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David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “Scotland's high streets haven't had their troubles to seek in recent years following the upheaval wrought by the pandemic and cost of living crunch.

“Even now where they do have disposable income to spend, households are prioritising experiences rather than products bought in shops. Meanwhile, business rates and the cost of employing store staff are being ratcheted up by the government, loading onerous additional costs onto the very stores which help underpin the vitality of Scotland's high streets.

“If stores struggle to trade profitably it leads to more empty units and gap-toothed retail destinations.

“Scotland's shops saw their business rates bill rise by £7.6 million in April, taking their business rate to a 26-year high. UK Ministers are introducing a permanent rates cut for shops in England from Spring 2026, in recognition of the disproportionate amount they pay.

“We need to see all retailers in Scotland benefit from a permanent rates reduction too. This would increase retailers' confidence about investing in new and refurbished shops and help revive Scotland’s town centres.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are working with businesses to drive economic growth and prosperity in our towns, cities and communities and provide support through a competitive non-domestic rates relief package worth an estimated £733 million this year. This includes the most generous small business rates relief in the UK.

“Scottish Ministers have repeatedly called on the UK Government to reverse its decision to increase employers’ national insurance contributions, with recent analysis by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce highlighting it as a significant concern for businesses damaging confidence, investment, growth and jobs.”

Town centre vacancy rates by Local Authority, 2023-24:

Aberdeen City - 20.70 per cent

Aberdeenshire - 10.30 per cent

Angus - 17.40 per cent

Argyll & Bute - 13.20 per cent

Clackmannanshire - 10.80 per cent

Dumfries & Galloway - 13.50 per cent

Dundee City - 17.70 per cent

East Ayrshire - 12.00 per cent

East Dunbartonshire - 8.60 per cent

East Lothian - 11.90 per cent

East Renfrewshire - 4.60 per cent

Edinburgh City - 5.40 per cent

Eilean Siar - 3.30 per cent

Falkirk - 17.00 per cent

Fife - 18.80 per cent

Glasgow City - 12.10 per cent

Highland - 14.30 per cent

Inverclyde - 4.90 per cent

Midlothian - 9.00 per cent

Moray - 14.10 per cent

North Ayrshire - 7.80 per cent

North Lanarkshire - 17.70 per cent

Orkney Islands - 9.20 per cent

Perth & Kinross - 11.00 per cent

Renfrewshire - 17.70 per cent

Scottish Borders - 11.80 per cent

Shetland Islands - 5.80 per cent

South Ayrshire - 35.30 per cent

South Lanarkshire - 14.80 per cent

Stirling - 13.10 per cent

West Dunbartonshire - 13.90 per cent

West Lothian - 8.40 per cent

Source: https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/benchmarking/explore-the-data (National overview; by indicator; economic development; town centre vacancy rates)