The Courier's High Street Trackers

Welcome to our High Street trackers

We all know our High Streets are struggling – but is the situation getting any better?

In June 2023, The Courier data team decided to investigate and started tracking data on key high street areas and shopping centres.

We keep track of every opening and closure, how long units have been vacant, and the variety of retail spaces making up our city centres. We’ve also investigated who owns these vacant properties.

We’ve turned that data into the interactive maps and charts in the articles below.

You can also use the forms below to let us know if you’ve spotted any changes in your high street.

Dundee High Street trackers

Dundee shopping centres shown against bar chart depicting vacancy rates for latest update of the High Street Tracker. — How have the high streets and shopping centres changed in Dundee? Graphic by Michael McCosh.

Dundee city centre: One year of tracking retail vacancy rates

It's now been one year since we started tracking the vacancy rates of Dundee city centre - what has changed in that time?

By Lesley-Anne Kelly

Shoppers on Murraygate in Dundee city centre.

‘Progressive and friendly or dirty and sad’: Your views on shopping in Dundee city centre

From cleanliness to shop types, we surveyed shoppers and retailers about what needs to change in Dundee city centre to allow the high streets to thrive.

By Ema Sabljak & Emma Morrice 32

Map of Dundee's top eighteen vacant high street units with lines linking them to owners.

Who owns Dundee’s top 18 vacant high street units?

Who owns the longest standing vacant properties on Dundee's high streets? We purchased property deeds for 18 units which have been empty for at least three years.

By Ema Sabljak

Shows maps of our high street trackers across the four cities.

Dundee Matters: How does the city centre compare to others across Scotland

Is there a business that thrives on Dundee high streets? Are there shops that soar in other cities but fail in the City of Discovery?

By Ema Sabljak

Dundee city centre: See how the retail unit vacancy rate has changed since last year

The Courier data team have been tracking the activity of the Dundee retail sector since June. This latest update shows how things have changed since then.

By Lesley-Anne Kelly

A 3D map of Dundee city centre shops with red and blue colours used to indicate empty and occupied units

Dundee city centre: See how the retail unit vacancy rate has changed

The Courier data team have been tracking the activity of the Dundee retail sector since June. This latest update shows how things have changed since then.

By Lesley-Anne Kelly

A floorplan beside pictures of the Dundee shopping centres.

Dundee shopping centres: Track the empty and occupied units

We've tracked units in each of Dundee's shopping centres to track the health of our city centre

By Lesley-Anne Kelly

Dundee city centre: Track the empty and occupied units

We've tracked units on some of the city's main shopping streets to check the health of our high streets.

By Lesley-Anne Kelly

Fraser Reid standing outside his Dundee fruit and vegetable shop

Dundee city centre: A ghost town or winning the battle for survival?

How healthy are Dundee's high streets? Do we have scores of empty units with To Let signs? Are we being swamped with bookies and do vape shops now outnumber cafes?

By Lesley-Anne Kelly