Health Check report by Berwick-upon-Tweed Civic Society looks in detail at state of the town centre

However, the Berwick Town Centre Health Check does have some positives – such as the range of independent shops that are now in place – and mentions potential improvements, including the state, physical appearance and cleanliness of the town centre, that can be achieved by people and organisations working together.

The information included in the study undertaken by Berwick-upon-Tweed Civic Society includes that the number of shops has declined by 10% (13 units) since 2014 and vacant shops have increased to 15% or 36 empty shop units.

Pedestrian flows are down by between 30% and 40% in 10 years.

As part of the Health Check, direct surveys of shoppers and visitors to the centre were carried out. Anecdotally, many of the guests questioned during the survey commented on the good range of independent shops that could be found in Berwick.

The state, physical appearance and cleanliness of the town centre were “fairly universal complaints across the survey’s different questions and this is potentially an easy win in terms of improving the town centre”.

The report says that the withdrawal of some multiple store businesses from Berwick either through bankruptcy (such as M&Co and Dorothy Perkins) or relocation (such as Home Bargains and Iceland) “has changed the retail landscape and independent traders have greater opportunity in securing better located lettings, lower rents and less direct competition on the ground.

“All these factors could lead to a renaissance in independent retailers and the role of such traders in underpinning smaller centres.”

However, it sets out reasoning for why some national multiples such as Sports Direct, Boots, Clarks and Santander are still on the high street in Berwick.

The report says: “In other locations Berwick-upon Tweed may be regarded as too small to support the range of multiples that are present but without direct competition or representation in other centres across the Borders region, Berwick retains a level of multiple representation above what one would otherwise expect.”

Other positive data includes an increase in cafes and restaurants and they are well liked by the public. In addition, the Health Check says bus use is increasing slowly, but facilities need improving.

Berwick-upon-Tweed Civic Society made some observations and conclusions in the report after gathering the data and these include the following.

“These declines in footfall illustrate well the challenges faced by the town centre businesses in Berwick-upon-Tweed who are dependent upon footfall to drive their trade (although this is a chicken and egg situation).

“It is not sufficient, however, to accept these changes as driven by national trends. If people want the town centre to survive and town centre businesses to do well, work has to be done to both recognise what has driven these trends and to seek to reverse the decline.

“In general terms the centre is lucky to have such a rich patchwork of historic buildings, but not enough is made of them and their contribution to the attractiveness of the town centre is dulled by their neglect and more particularly that of other buildings.”