Windsor ranked as one of Britain's 'leading shopping locations' according to research study

Windsor has been named as one of the country's 'leading shopping locations' according to new research. 

The town ranked as the nation's 44th best performing in a list of 1,000 retail centres - up nine places from last year. 

The table was put together by strategic retail property consultancy Harper Dennis Hobbs (HBH) and determines the health of high streets and shopping centres including vacancy rates, suitability to consumers' demands and a change in resident movement. 

Marlow ranked 26 and Bucks town Beaconsfield topped the list, followed by Henley-on-Thames.

This year the research revealed that smaller locations outperformed city centre destinations as shopping habits changed to become localised due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Andy Metherell, head of retail consultancy at HDH, said: “The most vital retail centres currently provide services that are essential to people’s lives, such as grocers and pharmacies.

"These essential retailers have been able to trade throughout the strictest lockdowns, and consumers have not been willing or able to travel far to visit these stores. Shopping patterns have therefore changed significantly since the start of the pandemic, and consumers’ local high streets are benefitting at the expense of major destinations.”