THERE has been a reduction in the number of empty shops in South Lakeland.

The level of vacant retail premises in some areas is below five per cent, which is less than half the national average.

South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) says the latest figures are encouraging.

Cllr Graham Vincent, who is SLDC’s portfolio holder for economy and assets, said: “Across South Lakeland 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 higher occupancy rate shows a positive outlook for the local economy.”

Figures for June 2018 show that Kendal had eight fewer empty shops than last year.

In Bowness, the number of vacant retail units had fallen from 12 to seven.

Both Grange and Kirkby Lonsdale had seen the number of empty retail premises reduced to four, sharing the lowest percentage of vacant shops in the district.

Figures show that the number of empty shops in Milnthorpe remained the same, at nine.

Ulverston had one more empty shop than the previous year, rising to 13.

A number of shops in Ambleside and Windermere were in transition, with tenants preparing to move in.