Worksop and Mansfield have the highest town centre shop vacancy rates in Nottinghamshire, according to figures supplied by district and borough councils.
More than 17 per cent of retail units were empty in both towns, although the rate in Worksop has fallen over the past year.
Direct comparisons should be treated with some caution because the figures cover different dates and some councils calculate vacancies by the number of units, while Broxtowe Borough Council uses the proportion of overall retail floor space that is empty.
Worksop recorded the highest reported vacancy rate, with 17.12 per cent of units empty in March 2026. However, this was an improvement from 19.86 per cent in March 2025.
Mansfield’s vacancy rate stood at 17 per cent, while 16 per cent of retail units were vacant in Calverton.
Stapleford had 14 per cent of its overall retail floor space unoccupied, followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield at 13.2 per cent.
The vacancy rate was 12.02 per cent in Newark, 12 per cent in Mansfield Woodhouse and 10.6 per cent in Arnold.
Lower rates were reported in Beeston, Bingham, Retford and West Bridgford.
Beeston had the lowest figure at four per cent of retail floor space, equivalent to an occupancy rate of 96 per cent.
Bingham’s vacancy rate was five per cent, followed by Retford at 5.44 per cent and West Bridgford at six per cent.
Retford’s figure had fallen from 8.16 per cent in March 2025.
Mapperley Plains recorded a vacancy rate of 8.6 per cent, while the figure in Ollerton was 9.57 per cent.
The figures come as councils across Nottinghamshire use grants, regeneration projects and new legal powers to bring empty properties back into use.
Ashfield District Council adopted High Street Rental Auction powers in September 2025. The measures allow councils to require landlords to offer commercial properties which have remained vacant for prolonged periods to businesses or community groups.
The council said the introduction of the powers had prompted some landlords to actively search for tenants or sell empty properties. It has also introduced shopfront grants in Sutton and Stanton Hill.
Bassetlaw District Council has also adopted the auction powers and attributed the reduction in vacancy rates partly to its work to attract businesses.
Its measures have included campaigns promoting Worksop and Retford, business support, small growth grants and shop fit-out grants worth up to £15,000.
Funding provided through the Government’s Pride in Place programme has helped bring seven vacant units back into use across Retford, Worksop and Harworth and Bircotes.
Broxtowe Borough Council has invested in Beeston’s night-time economy, including the council-owned Beeston Square.
Stapleford is receiving investment through its £21 million Towns Fund programme, while the Pencil Works development is expected to attract more people into the town centre.
Three empty units in Stapleford have been brought back into use through the High Street Rental Auction programme. The vacant Old Rock property became the first premises in England to be taken to auction under the scheme.
Gedling Borough Council has produced an Ambition Arnold masterplan intended to increase footfall. Proposals for a new leisure centre, theatre and library have also been developed, although delivery will depend on grant funding being secured.
Regeneration work in Mansfield includes improvements to the Market Place and surrounding streets, the Mansfield Connect project in the former Beales department store and plans for a food hall at the former BHS building.
New homes are also being developed at White Hart Street, an area which accounts for a significant amount of vacant commercial space.
Councillor Charles Hammersley, Mansfield District Council’s portfolio holder for planning and growth, said: “We recognise that the sight of empty shops can generate some negativity, and we are actively engaging with property owners to find out how we can work together to make better use of these spaces. We will be sharing some more details about this project soon.”
Newark and Sherwood District Council’s work includes plans to reuse Newark’s former Marks & Spencer store, improvements at Newark Castle, investment in the Buttermarket and the redevelopment of 14 Market Place.
The council has also supported free events, a construction college developed with Newark College and the Air and Space Institute.
In Ollerton, work is taking place to improve links between Forest Road and Rufford Avenue, alongside proposals to introduce a cinema offer.
Nationally, the growth of online shopping, changing consumer habits and difficult trading conditions have placed pressure on traditional high streets.
Local Data Company figures from 2023 indicated that around one in seven shops was empty nationally.
According to Which?, 6,871 bank and building society branches closed between January 2015 and the publication of its latest figures, leaving councils and property owners to find new uses for many prominent high street buildings.
The Government has also announced plans to give councils greater control over the number of vape and betting shops, while pubs, social clubs and entertainment venues are due to receive a 20 per cent reduction in business rates from 2027.
Town and areas with the most retail units empty
- Worksop, Bassetlaw’s largest town, currently has a high number of retail units lying empty, with a vacancy rate of 17.12 per cent at March 2026.
- Mansfield town is close behind, with 17 per cent of shops vacant.
- Calverton, in Gedling, has 16 per cent of retail units sitting empty, according to the council.
- Stapleford has 14 per cent of its retail units’ overall floor space unoccupied.
- In Sutton town centre, in the Ashfield district, there is a vacancy rate of 13.2 per cent.
- Newark town’s empty shop unit rate sits at 12.02 per cent.
- Mansfield Woodhouse currently has 12 per cent of retail units sitting empty.
- Arnold has a retail vacancy rate of 10.6 per cent.
Towns and areas where the retail scene is performing better
- Beeston’s vacancy rate, calculated based on the percentage of overall retail floor space that is empty, is four per cent, meaning it has a 96 per cent occupancy rate and is the highest in the borough.
- Bingham, in Rushcliffe, has a five per cent vacancy rate.
- Retford, in Bassetlaw, has a vacancy rate in its retail spaces of 5.44 per cent as of March 2026.
- West Bridgford has a six per cent vacancy rate.
- Mapperley Plains has a vacancy rate of 8.6 per cent.
- Ollerton has a vacancy rate of 9.57 per cent.
By Lauren Monaghan, Local Democracy Reporter