New Report Highlights Success of Dorchester High Street

A new report has ranked Dorchester as one of the best performing high streets in the South West, thanks to steady growth in spite of the tough economic climate.

The findings come from the Midsummer Retail Report unveiled by property firm Colliers International, which shows that prime rents in Dorchester have increased by 7% since 2008, while over the same period most South West towns have seen prime rents actually decline.

Along with Dorchester, the other top performing towns were Wells, Chippenham, Cheltenham and Cirencester.

We’ve all seen the creative thinking, hard work and resilience displayed by Dorchester businesses to stay ahead of the recession in recent years, and it’s great to see the results of that in black and white here.

Colliers gave a couple of reasons for Dorchester’s strong performance, including its wealthy catchment population and steady tourist intake. On top of this, Dorchester’s shops, cafes and restaurants have certainly benefited from the loyal customer base that many have built up over the years, and of course the BID has been a great way for Dorchester businesses to pool their resources and work together for the collective good of the town centre.

The report was particularly timely given that this is the final week for businesses in Dorchester to vote in the BID re-ballot. If you haven’t already, do make sure you cast your vote and have your say on the future of the town centre – let’s make sure in 5 years’ time we still have one of the most successful high streets in the South West!

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