Out-of-town premises better for large retailers?

Date: 07/09/2011

Purchasing local phone numbers and establishing themselves in out-of-town locations may be a good move for many retailers.

This is because, according to director at the Local Data Company Matthew Hopkinson, there are "infrastructure problems" associated with some city-centre sites.

Large retailers need a great deal of space, as well as ease of access for customers and car parking facilities, he explained.

Therefore, some town centre locations may not be suitable, meaning they are harder to let, Mr Hopkinson stated.

He said there are "a number of dynamics" that need to be considered when choosing space and these "vary depending on where you are in the country and the type of shop and population that you are serving".

This could mean many firms are tempted to situate themselves away from city centres and purchase local phone numbers, which are low cost for consumers to call from both landlines and mobiles.