In the week Woolworths closed its doors for the last time, the discounters have been tipped to be the main beneficiaries of empty property and land in 2009, according to analysts from property consultants King Sturge.
High-street retail space available for "grave dance" lease and purchase, along with landlords keen to rent out land to avoid the Government's new "empty rates", would benefit discounters who were now prepared to be more flexible with store formats, according to King Sturge predictions.
Aldi, Lidl and Netto, said partner Charles Miller, were looking at finding 150 retail outlets between them in 2009, and would look outside their usual 15-20,000 sq ft store formats. "The model they've brought across from Germany, the edge-of-town store, is changing," he said.
"They are coming back into the town centres. The discounters will be a lot more fleet of foot. They will take advantage."
Industrial agency partner David Brooks said that King Sturge had also noticed "very large requirements" from the discounters for distribution centres.
"Netto bought a 500,000 sq ft site in Manchester four years ago, and it is putting it on the market because it's not big enough."
The discounters would also snap up land from landlords concerned about empty land taxes, said Miller. "Retailers will be able to negotiate hard on price," he added.
However, other retailers, including the big four supermarkets, would be more selective until they were certain of planning approval, said Miller.
But partner Philip Robin said councils would take a more pragmatic approach to granting permission, offering flexibility because they wanted developments to provide jobs.
Retail space openings in the high street could also be snapped up by foreign retailers who were looking to make their first move into the United Kingdom, Miller added, despite the worsening market conditions because of the weakness of sterling.
High-street retail space available for "grave dance" lease and purchase, along with landlords keen to rent out land to avoid the Government's new "empty rates", would benefit discounters who were now prepared to be more flexible with store formats, according to King Sturge predictions.
Aldi, Lidl and Netto, said partner Charles Miller, were looking at finding 150 retail outlets between them in 2009, and would look outside their usual 15-20,000 sq ft store formats. "The model they've brought across from Germany, the edge-of-town store, is changing," he said.
"They are coming back into the town centres. The discounters will be a lot more fleet of foot. They will take advantage."
Industrial agency partner David Brooks said that King Sturge had also noticed "very large requirements" from the discounters for distribution centres.
"Netto bought a 500,000 sq ft site in Manchester four years ago, and it is putting it on the market because it's not big enough."
The discounters would also snap up land from landlords concerned about empty land taxes, said Miller. "Retailers will be able to negotiate hard on price," he added.
However, other retailers, including the big four supermarkets, would be more selective until they were certain of planning approval, said Miller.
But partner Philip Robin said councils would take a more pragmatic approach to granting permission, offering flexibility because they wanted developments to provide jobs.
Retail space openings in the high street could also be snapped up by foreign retailers who were looking to make their first move into the United Kingdom, Miller added, despite the worsening market conditions because of the weakness of sterling.
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