SMALL retailers believe they are being priced out of one of Southend’s largest shopping centres, just two years after it had a £24million revamp.

The Victoria shopping centre has several empty shop units, plus a closing down sale this week at homeware store Totally Home.

Imran Ali, 37, owner of Victoria News and Cards, said businesses simply cannot afford to stay there.

Mr Ali said: “It is always quiet here – it was dead over Christmas.

“People don’t have a job so they have no money to spend.

“Rent is too high for some people and it is difficult to survive.”

Fellow retailer Ross Nedkov, 27, manager of Keisha’s Accessories, said: “We are just surviving.

“I think for the shops that rely on people through the doors, it’s just not busy enough.

“We started here in January last year and it got better later in the year.”

However, centre managers have a different view.

They say more shoppers than ever are coming to the centre, with 2010 being “an excellent year”, up five per cent on the previous year.

Despite this, the former Designer Stock Room clothes shop has been empty for a year. Two jewellery shops, Aura and Laraib, have shut within the past month and gift shop Regalos closed last summer.

These four empty shop units have not been filled and there are two larger units on the ground floor which also need occupying, one of which has never been rented out.

However, not all the retailers are taking a pessimistic view.

David Grimes, 37, who owns Fiori Florist, said it is swings and roundabouts.

He added: “If someone isn’t doing well they get tunnel vision and think the centre is doing badly, but I think if you can survive now, during the downturn, then you’ll be laughing in the future.”

Andrew Norton, manager of the centre, said: “As far as the empty units are concerned we are actively looking to fill any we have.

“We have local letting agents and national agents courting potential businesses to come into the centre.

“There are some stores which have closed or are closing, but it’s more a case of short-term leases coming to an end and businesses deciding they want to leave.”

‘Business very good for retailers’

THE boss of the Victoria shopping centre remains upbeat about the future.

Two years ago Bill Harkness, chief executive of centre owners Delamere Estates, told the Echo it was a “real struggle” attracting new stores to the centre, despite the refurbishment.

He admitted the country’s financial meltdown made it difficult to get retailers in place, but he said trading is up by 20 per cent in the first week of 2011 compared with last year.

Mr Harkness, said: “Business is very good for our retailers. We plan to continue this level of growth into 2011 and are looking forward to welcoming more big name stores in the future to complement our mix of international brands and local retailers.”

“The management team has always been very supportive of local independent businesses, and prevailing rents reflect the market.

“It should be noted our rents are still far better value than the High Street and any of our retailers would be hard pressed to secure more attractive terms in any locations of a similar nature in the town.”