Perth city centre footfall dropped to 10 per cent below the national level in 2021/22.
And the latest figures from February 2022 showed around 10 per cent of Perth city centre shops are sitting empty.
Supporting businesses to grow and attracting investment and higher value jobs into Perth and Kinross is one of Perth and Kinross Council 's key priorities for the coming year.
A report on PKC 's Joint Service Business Management and Improvement Plan 2022/23 and Annual Performance Report 2021/22 for Communities was put before the council's Scrutiny and Performance Committee on June 8.
Officers reported to councillors PKC was continuing to provide support and incentives to help economic recovery.
The report showed Perth City Centre's performance in terms of footfall had fluctuated.
In 2019/20 its footfall was 34.6 per cent lower than the national level but a year later - at the height of the pandemic - in 2020/21 it was 16.4 per cent above average. In 2021/22 it fell to 10.2 per cent below the national level.
As of February 2022, 9.9 per cent of city centre retail units were empty - below the British average. Figures from the British Retail Consortium show the average vacancy rate for retail units - across Great Britain - was 14.1 per cent for January to March 2022.
Reflecting on Perth 's performance the PKC report stated: "The council is continuing to provide further support to retail and other businesses to help economic recovery through a range of measures including business advice, destination promotion via improvement to the Perth city website, media and digital channels: employment and business support; digital incentives and platforms providing current market/consumer intelligence; grant assistance for repair and conversion as well as providing guidance to support business re-opening and temporary occupation of space to improve trading space and capacity. Support for temporary occupation of space continued until March 2022."
The committee was told footfall was recorded by counters at various points within Perth City Centre.
Conservative Blairgowrie and Glens councillor Caroline Shiers asked if there was an opportunity to measure footfall in rural town centres such as Pitlochry, Blairgowrie, Crieff and Kinross.
PKC's executive director of communities Barbara Renton said the council was currently looking into doing that possibly through technology based on wi-fi/phone signals.
Talking about the national picture - at the end of April - the British Retail Consortium's chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE said: "Much has changed with the cost of living rising and the conflict in Ukraine damaging consumer confidence. It remains to be seen how the increasing costs and the war in Ukraine will impact on businesses and the vacancy rate in the future. While people’s shopping habits have changed, the need for vibrant communities at the centre of our towns and cities has not. Government should look to reform business rates so that businesses can invest in these areas that need it the most."
Over the past few years Perth City Centre has lost the likes of Lakeland, Beales, Debenhams, Argos, Gap, Monsoon, Laura Ashley and Thorntons.
But there are some signs of rejuvenation.
Earlier this year an application was approved for two restaurants and a gym to occupy the former Argos site at 55-58 High Street.
Plans have also been submitted to Perth and Kinross Council to develop a restaurant and five flats at the site of the former Lakeland unit on St John Street. Interest has also been expressed in the former Beales/McEwens store next door.
Independent coffee and food chain Bob & Berts - founded in Portstewart, Northern Ireland - is converting the vacant unit at 108-112 High Street with an opening date set for July.
