NEW figures released by South Lakeland District Council show the level of empty shops in Kendal is at its lowest for six years.

SLDC says the percentage of shop units in the town that are presently vacant is 9.97 per cent - the first time the rate has been below 10 per cent since 2008.

But the number of empty shops in Ambleside has increased slightly to 14 - up one from 13 at the start of the year, said the council.

Empty shop numbers are collected every quarter by the council's economy and assets team from Kendal, Ulverston, Kirkby Lonsdale, Ambleside, Windermere, Bowness and now Kirkby Lonsdale, Grange and Milnthorpe.

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South Lakeland’s biggest high street is in Kendal, where 437 shops were surveyed earlier this month, said the authority.

There were 43 shops classed as empty in Kendal according to the most recent figures - down 11 from the 54 vacant shops recorded in September 2013 when the rate of empty units was 12.41 per cent.

The council says there is also an encouraging picture in Ulverston, where the rate of 8.28 per cent empty shops is the lowest in the town since April 2012.

The September figures show there are 14 empty shop units in Ulverston, said the council.

In Windermere five shop units are empty - a rate of 4.16 per cent, which is the lowest rate recorded this year, said the council.

It is a similar situation in Bowness where the rate of 7.38 per cent is also the lowest rate so far this year, with five more shop units occupied since June, SLDC said.

The new quarterly figures do show that empty shops have increased in Ambleside to 14, up from 13 at the start of the year, and there is one extra empty shop unit in Milnthorpe and two additional empty shops in Kirkby Lonsdale compared to the June 2014 figures, said the council.

In Grange the number of empty units has remained the same at three.

The national average for shop vacancy rates is 13.5 per cent and the north west average is 16.9 per cent.

All areas of South Lakeland are below that national average figure and the overall average for South Lakeland is 7.3 per cent, said the council.

Cllr Giles Archibald, SLDC portfolio holder for town centres and small business, said the figures overall painted a picture of steady improvement in most areas of South Lakeland, but that work was still required to support our town centres.

Cllr Archibald said: “It is positive to see the levels of empty shops in some areas is returning to pre-recession levels, but while the headline figures look good there is still a lot more to do to help the independent retailers.

“The council has key priorities in its Council Plan to help towns and villages to thrive commercially and through our economic development team and in partnership with organisations like Kendal Futures, the Business Improvement Districts and town and parish councils a great deal of work is going on to stimulate our town centre economies.

“In Kendal and across South Lakes we have more shops per capita than in other town centres because of our tourism culture and the fact that we have more shops and a high occupancy rate shows a positive outlook for the retail economy.

“The situation in Kendal is particularly encouraging, with the year-on-year comparison showing there are now 11 fewer shops that are empty in the town compared to 12 months ago.

“Examples of the support we are involved with include parking offers in Ulverston, Kendal and Grange, Shopfront Improvement Grants, a shop jacket scheme to help reduce shop vacancy rates and coming this year a Christmas Festival of events to promote retail activity in Kendal in the run up to the festive period.

“Much of the news on empty shops is gratifying but we also recognise that the picture isn’t universally positive across the district and we know there is much work still to do and we will continue to visually enhance high streets and help reduce shop vacancy rates.’’

Commenting on the figures, Westmorland MP Tim Farron said iin a statement: "These figures are very good news but we can and must do more. 

"I work closely with Councillor Giles Archibald, the council’s lead councillor on town centres and small businesses, and will, together, try and support local businesses. 

“Empty shops are a big issue and something I am working to try and tackle.  We are working locally to try and bring jobs and investment to South Lakeland but I am also working nationally to try and find more ways to help and support our high streets.”