Portal Leisure Centre fails to boost town centre footfall as empty shops pile up

Retail vacancy rates above the national average, new report shows.

The number of people going into Irvine town centre has plunged by nearly nine per cent and almost 14 per cent of shops are empty.

Visitors to the biggest North Ayrshire town fell by 8.9 per cent in the year 2018 to 2019 figures released by the council show.

The drop comes despite bosses opening the Portal in the historic town, which replaced the Magnum at the harbour. 

The Portal attracted 800,000 extra visits to the centre in its first year of operation. But still visitor rates to the town are down 8.7 per cent over three years. 

Evidence shows there is more demand for parking at the Rivergate and Riverway Retail parks.

A North Ayrshire Council report, which was requested by the Audit and Scrutiny Committee, said retail vacancy rates in Irvine stood at 13.9 per cent in 2019. The Scottish average is 12 per cent. 

Irvine East SNP councillor Marie Burns said: “Obviously the committee is concerned with the reduction of footfall and increase in the number of vacant properties.

“We are looking at alternatives to retail such as The Portal and the Ardrossan campus.”

“It is about looking at what we can put in the town centre apart from retail.”

The committee chair pointed out the council was investing £1.4 million Scottish Government funding in town centres in North Ayrshire including Dalry and Stevenston. 

Footfall in Largs also shows a decrease but only by 5.5 per cent for 2018 to 2019. Property vacancy rates in the seaside town were 6.5 per cent in 2019.

Bucking the trend Saltcoats saw a one per cent increase in footfall in 2018 to 2019. But there has been a 9.8 per cent drop over three years.

The report pointed out there was a lack of parking spaces in Irvine, Saltcoats and Largs. 

The council is building more homes in town centres to help bring areas back to life. 

The council report said: “Consumer behaviour is in a process of change over a long period and this continues to result in the growth of online rather than retail shopping, as well as a transfer of traditional town centre services such as banking online.”

There are plans to create a regeneration framework in early 2020 to boost town centres.
Councillor Burns called for communities to be involved in that move.