Ealing fights to fill vacant shops

And in December 2008, the number stood at 5.25per cent, showing the number of empty shops nearly doubled in the course of a year.

Other shopping centres in the borough also saw a similar pattern emerge with 8.82 per cent of Acton's 154 shops, 7.87per cent of Greenford's 94 shops and 4.91per cent of Southall's 197 shops, standing empty.

Elizabeth Bell, Centre Manager, Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre said: "Since 2008 vacancy rates at Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre have fallen.

"Major names such as Primark and H&M have arrived, while River Island moved into larger premises.

"New outlets do not open overnight but take months in their negotiating, planning and building.

"The centre is currently preparing for the June opening of an amazing 12,143 sq ft New Look store occupying a space which was previously four separate units.

"We are also in discussions with a number of other mainstream retailers about potential openings over the next 12 months and we have secured consent for a large site along the High Street side of the centre which will enable us to transform our food and drink offering and compliment that already available in adjacent Ealing Green and the town itself.

"We are also progressing the next stage of works for St Saviour's Mall whereby the original kiosks will be replaced with a vibrant new retail offering."

Despite a record 23million shoppers flocking to Westfield during it's first year to October 2009, there were 15million visitors to Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre which is a fifth of the size of the Shepherd's Bush centre.