The UK’s high streets are at their most occupied since February 2010, according to the Local Data Company.

Britain’s shop vacancy rate fell to 12.7% in November, down from 13.3% year on year and for the fourth successive month - the first time since September 2013.

The LDC expects the vacancy rate to fall towards pre-recession levels, although it said the rising occupancy of the UK’s high streets was not only due to new businesses moving in.

Matthew Hopkinson, director at The Local Data Company, said: “The number of empty shops on Britain’s high streets continues to fall. The big question is – is it because more businesses opened in November than in previous months or are the vacant shops being turned into alternative uses, redeveloped or indeed demolished? The answer lies in all of these factors.”

Bracknell, Exeter and Wrexham have all seen the number of empty shops reduce. November also saw the highest number of shops being demolished or redeveloped in 2015.

“Premium retailers continue to do well, but the appetite for consumers to maintain or increase debt levels due to low inflation and interest rates could be very good news for the shops but not for the long term wider economy,” he added.