nickshanagher

The value of retail outlets sold by Christie + Co rose by 2.1 per cent in 2010, with the number of transactions it completed up by 24 per cent (excluding its sale of 300 outlets from the failed First Quench off licence chain). As business agents, Christie + Co do not focus on high street shops so its estimates are a good proxy for owners of c-stores and CTNs, suggesting that prices are firming up again after two years of falls. The company says valuations are supported by the favourable market conditions for independent traders, despite the move of multiple stores into the channel. Managing director Chris Day is confident that the banks will be supportive of the property sector as a whole. However, for independent operators this is unlikely to translate into easier access to finance. "The independent shopkeeper is finding it difficult to get funding," Tony Evans, head of retail, said at the launch of its Business Outlook 2011 ...