BUSINESS is booming in York’s suburbs and villages, with more people looking for retail premises than there are properties available.

So says chartered surveyor and property agent John Hornsby, who says there has been unprecedented demand for suburban shop units of all sizes over the past few weeks and months.

He says the interest is mostly from individuals looking to set up their own businesses or to relocate from smaller existing premises.

Mr Hornsby, who is based in Acomb, said there was concern over the number of vacant High Street shops throughout the country but York continued to buck the trend, especially in terms of suburban shop units and local businesses.

He said: "We have let so many suburban shop units recently that there is actually a real shortage of properties currently available, as anyone looking will have discovered.

"In Acomb, for example, the Old Post Office on Front Street became available to rent just before Christmas and was under offer within days, currently progressing through the legal process.

"A prime unit on Acomb Court, Front Street, was confidentially put to the market and was again under offer within weeks.

"On Green Lane, the former well known John’s Barber shop was sold freehold then offered to rent and was under offer within a matter of days to another barber.”

He said other locations had seen similar demand, for example two shops which were offered recently in Acaster Lane, Bishopthorpe, and were both snapped up in a matter of weeks - one as a deli, a continuation of its previous use, and the other as a dog grooming parlour, due to open shortly.

"A further unit on Sim Balk Lane, Bishopthorpe, attracted so much interest that we had to request final and best rental offers in order that everyone interested was given a fair chance," he said.

He said it was not only vacant shops that were in demand, with businesses as going concerns selling well too.

Recent sales he had arranged included two hairdressing salons, a village shop and tea room and a York restaurant which had recently gone under offer and was now progressing through legal formalities.

Investments were also proving popular. “We recently sold a prime suburban retail unit let to a well known national charity on Front Street, Acomb off an asking price of £290,000 providing a return to the buyer of around 6.5 per cent.

"A residential HMO, previously let to students in The Groves area, attracted numerous viewings and offers and was sold recently off a guide price of around £500,000.”

He said he could see no let up in the demand for retail units in particular and there was clear confidence in the market which showed no sign of abating.