Mansfield has the joint-highest shop vacancy rate among Nottinghamshire’s larger towns, with 17% of retail space currently empty.
The figure puts it level with Worksop and well behind Beeston, where the vacancy rate is 4%, Bingham at 5% and Retford at 5.5%.
Residents say rising costs, a lack of variety and the loss of established retailers have left Mansfield town centre struggling.
Dorothy Munson, 79, who has lived in Mansfield throughout her life, said: “All the shops are going and we’ve got nowhere to look at anymore. It’s not a patch on what it used to be.
“There seems to be plenty of people and not enough shops. Inside the precinct, about five shops have gone since Christmas.”
Content creator and computer technician Daniel Stride said high rents and business rates could be discouraging new businesses.
He said: “I looked into renting one and it was £9,000. For a new business, you can’t afford it. I think the business rates are too high.
“The problem is they’re being turned into vape shops. We’ve got too many of them. We need companies and businesses to come in.”
Businesses renting town-centre premises with a rateable value above £2,500 must also pay an annual levy to Mansfield Business Improvement District.
The basic fee is £225 a year and increases by 5% annually. Businesses occupying premises with a rateable value above £10,000 pay a percentage-based charge, set at 2.75% outside the Four Seasons Shopping Centre and 1.75% inside it.
Daniel said he feared the levy could act as a further deterrent to businesses considering opening in Mansfield.
The town’s market continues to operate every Wednesday and Saturday, but a number of stalls were empty on Wednesday, August 19, despite West Gate appearing busy.
Wendy Adams, 54, who worked on a handbag stall at the market while at school, said: “It’s definitely not the same. Now it’s deserted. There’s hardly anything there.
“The shops are either vape shops, charity shops or food places. There’s nothing really to entice people to come into Mansfield.”
She said she now visits the town centre mainly for practical appointments rather than shopping or browsing.
“I think unless you’re a big branded company with a big online presence, people just can’t afford to run their businesses in the town anymore,” she added.
Mansfield District Council says several regeneration projects should help reduce the number of vacant premises.
These include improvements to the market place and the redevelopment of the former Beales building into Mansfield Connect, a community and civic hub expected to accommodate organisations including the Department for Work and Pensions and Mansfield Voluntary Community Services.
Planning permission has also been granted to transform the former BHS building into a social hub and food court.
Meanwhile, the White Hart Street project, supported by funding from East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, will provide 41 affordable homes near the town centre in an area containing a significant number of empty commercial units.
Councillor Charles Hammersley, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and growth, said: “All of these projects will have a significant impact on the vacancy rate.
“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.”
By Joseph Connolly, Local Democracy Reporter