A STUDY has revealed that Lichfield is bucking the national retail trend with the number of empty shops falling by more than a third.
Figures published by Lichfield District Council reveal that just 16 of the city's 311 retail premises sat empty in June 2025 – down from 25 in April 2021.
It represents a vacancy rate of approximately 5%, below the national high street average of 13.5%.
Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said an "ambitious programme" of investment in the city centre was paying off.
He said the new Everyman cinema development would also provide a further boost to Lichfield.
He added:
"Across the country, we’ve become accustomed to stories of high streets in decline, empty shops and once-thriving town centres struggling to survive.
"But here in Lichfield, we’re seeing a very different picture.
"While the national high street vacancy rate remains around 13.5%, ours is just 5%. In fact, we’ve seen the number of empty shops fall by more than a third since 2021.
"That is something our city should be enormously proud of, and reflects the hard work of our local businesses, the loyalty of residents and the confidence that investors continue to show in Lichfield.
"Of course, this hasn’t happened by accident. We’ve made a conscious decision as a council to invest in our city, improve our public spaces and pursue ambitious regeneration rather than simply manage decline.
"And we’re not finished. The new Everyman Cinema development represents another significant step forward, adding to the reasons people choose to visit, shop, eat and spend time in Lichfield."
Cllr Pullen said the council's focus would also spread going forward with further funding set aside for other areas.
He explained:
"Importantly, our ambitions extend beyond the city. We know that Burntwood has enormous potential too, which is why we have a further £1.2million earmarked for investment in improvements there.
"Working alongside residents, businesses, landowners and our partners, we’re determined to create a stronger and more attractive town centre in Burntwood, just as we continue to invest in Lichfield.
"High streets are changing, and councils must change with them. Our ambition is straightforward – to ensure that both Lichfield and Burntwood remain places where businesses want to invest, residents want to spend time and communities can thrive.
"At a time when so many high streets are fighting to survive, we’re determined that ours should be looking confidently to the future."
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