Voice of the Region: Hampshire – Retail reinvented

High streets are awash with opportunity for occupiers willing to take advantage of historically low start-up costs and find new ways of using space, according to Flude surveyor Alice Masterman.

Operating from Flude’s Portsmouth office, Masterman was 2023’s top individual dealmaker in the Radius rankings for the South East region. She transacted 86 deals and more than 150,000 sq ft of space.

Masterman says the relatively high cost of industrial space means many brands which become online-only are now taking advantage of low retail rents and returning to the High Street. She also believes the health sector, from aesthetics to dentistry, is playing an increasingly important role in the overall mix.