Research has found the hardest city in the UK for a charity shop to operate based on low footfall and lack of volunteers

They have pinpointed Bradford has as the toughest city in the UK for a charity to set up a shop.

The research carried out by The Co-operative Bank, found that the Yorkshire city has the highest high street vacancy rate in the country, of 18%, and only 16% of people there volunteer at least once a month.

It also has the lowest ranked footfall of any city looked at “making it harder for charity shops to attract passing customers”.

Other low ranked cities for charity shops are Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Coventry, Aberdeen, Leeds, Brighton and Plymouth.

London also ranks poorly, largely due to high rental costs.

Charity shop hot spots

In contrast, Norwich, Nottingham, Bristol and Exeter are among the locations where charity shops are thriving. They have the highest number of charity shops per 10,000 residents in the country.

“Charity shops play an important role in communities across the UK, not only by generating vital funds for charitable causes, but by providing affordable ways for people to shop more sustainably,” said Charities Retail Association head of corporate partnerships Anna Pashley.

“Norwich topping the ranking highlights the important role charity shops can play at the heart of local communities, creating opportunities for people to donate, volunteer and support good causes close to home.

"However, with rising costs, changing shopping habits and ongoing pressure on high streets, many charity retailers are navigating an increasingly challenging operating environment while continuing to deliver vital support for charities and communities."

Co-operative Bank relationship manager Amy McFayden added: “Charity shops play a vital role in supporting communities and fundraising for good causes, but many are operating in an increasingly challenging environment.

“Keeping costs under control can help ensure more money reaches the people and projects that need it most.”

The findings have emerged amid a difficult time for many charity shops nationwide.

Last week Charity Times revealed that charity leaders are concerned about a worsening quality of donations to their shops, as people increasingly use websites like Vinted and eBay to sell their higher quality items.

Two in five charity bosses say the quality of donations has fallen since the rise in popularity of online commercial selling sites, also including Depop, in recent years.

One in ten warn this drop in quality “has been significant”.

In June the British Heart Foundation announced plans to close 150 of its charity shops over the next two years, citing increasing costs a “changing customer habits” as factors.

Last month Garden House Hospice Care said it had made “the difficult decision” to close its shops in Fairfield, in Bedfordshire, and Hitchen, in Hertfordshire.

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