Newmark has released its latest retail Vitality Rankings report for the UK and said that Cambridge retains the top spot with strong demand there driven by affluent residents, students, and a resilient evening economy.

The international retail advisory and services firm is in the 10th year of its annual report that tracks the health of 1,000 retail centres across the country, combining shopper spend, vacancy, retail mix, redevelopment activity and catchment suitability to identify the most dynamic locations.

And after Cambridge, it said that London’s Chelsea has surged to second place (from 10th last year) with affluent local spend, tourism, and a premium retail mix driving its rise. Chelsea has long been a retail hot spot and the last year has seen a raft of openings by big retailers and small on the King’s Road, while Sloane Street has also seen openings and expansion on the part of major global luxury names.

Other highlights in the latest report include Bluewater in Kent — once the UK (and Europe’s) largest mall but now having been beaten by multiple other big developments since its 1999 opening — reaching position number 5. It may not be the biggest but Newmark said it’s the UK’s top mall and has been refreshed by experiential and digitally native brands alongside flagship “destination” stores. Inditex has opened or is opening a raft of its stores there while it’s also something of a beauty hub with big names such as Sephora, Space NK, Rituals, Molton Brown, Boots and Superdrug. Next has also taken over the giant department store space vacated by House of Frasers and will next year open a massive new branch featuring its own brand and its acquired/third-party labels.

Meanwhile Manchester has climbed an astonishing 96 places to number 12 via a “regeneration-led success story, fuelled by cultural anchors and premium brand arrivals”. The location has become the UK’s ‘second fashion city’ in recent years. And only recently JD Sports opened its largest Uk store there, a location that it says is performing very strongly.

But Manchester wasn’t the high climber on the list with Glasgow’s Silverburn taking that title. Up 530 places to number 215, it’s being transformed into a premium retail and leisure destination with major new occupiers.

Filling in the gaps, Kingston upon Thames rose two spots to number three; Bath City Centre jumped 18 to number four; Wimbledon Village fell three but managed sixth place; Milton Keynes was up 11 at seven; Knightsbridge fell two to eight; Leeds City Centre jumped 25 spots to number nine; Westfield Stratford City was down three at number 10; and Liverpool City Centre leapt 26 to number 11.

Newmark also said that the regional divide is shifting and while London and the South East remain dominant, more Midlands and Northern cities are entering the Top 50, although on the downside, many smaller towns face growing pressures from high costs and weaker catchments.

And it added that the Rankings also highlight four structural shifts reshaping UK retail: the ‘flight to prime’, the rise of ‘phygital’ store formats, the growing role of experience anchors, and the policy challenge of outdated business rates.

It’s particularly interesting that many of the top locations contain or are ‘supermalls’. Newmark’s 2025 Vitality Rankings demonstrate the importance of large centres to the UK retail landscape. While many consumers remain loyal to their local high street and independent retailers, the draw of major cities and destination malls has come back to the fore.

With their critical mass of space and broad range of retail, F&B and leisure options, these locations are again winning high levels of footfall. 

But while footfall is important, there’s also an increased focus on customer retention. New concepts such as experiential retail and location-based entertainment “drive dwell time and repeat visitation, which results in higher spend per visit at a retail centre”.

Customers are attracted by new and innovative concepts, and the wellness sector in particular has seen considerable recent growth. These concepts often combine customer experience with vital services and product sales, and are increasingly taking prime space on high streets and in shopping centres, enhancing the vitality of a retail centre.