One in Five commercial properties continue to remain empty in Sligo.
That’s according to a new Geodirectory report which shows the amount of vacant commercial properties around the country rose by 0.2 per cent to 14.1 per cent, the highest level on record since 2013.
The number of empty shops and offices nationwide is the highest it’s been in a decade.
The analysis shows that there remains a wide disparity in vacancy rates across the country, a trend observed in previous Commercial Buildings reports.
At 19.9%, Sligo was the county with the highest commercial vacancy rate, followed by Galway (18%), Donegal (17.9%).
The report found that Ballybofey, Co. Donegal, remained the town with the highest commercial vacancy rate in Ireland at 29.9%, registering a decrease of 0.2pp between Q2 2022 and Q2 2023.
Shannon, Co. Clare and Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, recorded the second and third highest commercial vacancy rates in the country at 29.4% and 29.2% respectively, followed by Boyle, Co. Roscommon (27.6%) and Sligo Town, Co. Sligo (25.4%).
The commercial vacancy rate in Leitrim fell to 16.8% in the twelve months to Q2 2023.
CEO of Geodirectory Dara Keogh says a number of businesses are moving their commercial activities online.
