Hundreds of people queued in the fog to wait for a new Lego store to open in Norwich
The number of empty shops in a city centre has fallen to its lowest number in 18 years as crowds gathered for the opening of a new Lego store.
A report by Norwich City Council said the decision by companies such as Lego to open new outlets was proof the city was "a good place to invest".
Hundreds of people queued outside the Chantry Place shopping centre on Thursday ahead of the Danish toy giant opening its latest branch.
Figures from surveys the council conducted showed that 9.8% of retail units were empty last month, down from 15.2% in September last year.
However, the report conceded that the demolition of Anglia Square shopping centre – where 40 units were knocked down – had impacted the numbers.
Ian Stutely, the cabinet member for planning at the Green-run authority, said the figures were "a real vote of confidence in Norwich as a shopping destination".
Figures show the number of empty shops in Norwich city centre has fallen
The council's report, external covers some of the highs and lows for retail in the city over the past 12 months.
While some notable names have closed – including River Island, Select and Claire's – others such as Swarovski and Menkind have opened branches.
It also highlighted the decision by Lego to open its 24th store in the UK, which is the first in East Anglia.
In her report, the council's head of planning, Sarah Ashurst, said this was "the first time that vacancy rates for units [have] dropped below 10% since July 2008".
"This is a really positive sign and demonstrates that Norwich has a robust and thriving city centre," she said.
However, she also pointed out that some major sites remained empty – although there were plans to redevelop both the former Wilko and Debenhams stores.
QD's Andy Jermy said it was "quite sad" the firm no longer had a store in Norwich
Another contributing factor to the fall in empty stores has been the demolition of Anglia Square, on the edge of the city centre, which began last year.
The removal of 40 units in the precinct and surrounding area, many of which were empty, helped bring down the percentage of vacancies.
One of the main retailers based at the site was the discount chain QD, which opened its first store in Anglia Square in 1985.
When speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk about the opening of a new branch in Harleston, QD's head of operations Andy Jermy said the firm hoped to return to the the city one day.
"We would love to be back in Norwich, but it is finding the right opportunity to do so," he said.
Norwich City councillors are due to discuss the report on Monday.
Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.
Your Voice
Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, Instagram, external and X, external.
Twitchers raise cash to give villagers tweet relief
Airport relies on £8 drop-off fees, says boss
'I'm spending my retirement fighting migrant plan'
Norwich City Council
'Sweet and affectionate' dog who was saved 'at the eleventh hour' needs loving home
Family pay tribute to ‘truly special’ 19-year-old who died in crash
Confusion after billboard advertising Norwich appears more than 400 miles away
Here we go again! Plans to abolish councils revived (a month after being scrapped)
Spate of vandalism forces early closure of public toilets in town
Aylsham Rotary Club seeks £10,000 to send fire engine to Ukraine
Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC
Burnham says he wants to cut welfare bill 'as soon as we possibly can'
'Painful' years ahead, think tanks warn, as living standards set to fall
Families desperate for news as rescuers work to identify Spanish train crash victims
'Super offensive' – we love how we look but AI tried to 'fix' our visible differences
'The internet's a less whimsical place' – YouTuber Jacksepticeye branches out
I earn £30,000. I'm angry there was no fuel duty cut in the Budget
'I live with a ghost' – inside the haunted homes attracting bargain hunters
Take our Celebrity Traitors quiz to find out which star you would be in this year's show
'I felt isolated from normal life after suffering a stroke at 22'
Building boom puts 300,000 people in the path of potential Himalayan disasters
Europe's youth is on the march – but does anything actually unite them?
Politics Essential: Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday
Martin Lewis explains what the Budget means for your money
First look: A darkly comedic Cold War thriller from the makers of Killing Eve
Why do we love scary movies?
The extraordinary story of the escape of prisoner Daniel Khalife
'Painful' years ahead, think tanks warn, as living standards set to fall
CCTV shows frying pan used to stop train attacker
Russell Brand's wife tells his rape trial he is 'kind and a wonderful father'
Hundreds of GP practices lose online services after collapse of tech firm
Burnham says he wants to cut welfare bill 'as soon as we possibly can'
Audio reveals exchanges between Spain train operators and drivers moments before deadly crash
Met refers itself to police watchdog over letter about Meghan's father
Flávio Bolsonaro calls himself 'leader of Brazil' after election loss
George Michael's Faith guitar sells for £180k after auction row
Lib Dems and Reform UK in war of words over alleged shove
Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
About the Author
