A buoyant Hawke's Bay economy and increased spending has produced a 13 per cent retail occupancy improvement across the region, according to the Turley & Co Retail Accommodation Occupancy Survey.
The independent property strategists' report of key retail precincts says overall main-street occupancy, for the quarter to the end of April, improved 13 per cent on the previous quarter.
Hawke's Bay retail spending growth topped the nation for the three months from December and was second in March, according to Paymark figures.
In Hastings there were two fewer retail vacancies. The pedestrian-only area of Heretaunga St now has one vacancy. The three vacancies recorded in the previous quarter are now occupied.
Despite the lift, Napier landlords are missing out with no change in the number of vacancies. Dickens St continued to "under-perform" with seven empty spaces recorded.