COVID-19 lockdown: commercial properties open after March 2020 restrictions UK

To contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), on March 23, 2020, a number of restrictions were implemented in the United Kingdom (UK). The population was urged to stay and work from home. Many retailers deemed non-essential had to temporarily suspend their operations. The disruption of activity is a serious threat to the survival of businesses in the retail sector and thus, could have a knock-on effect on the commercial real estate sector. A little over 27 percent of retail and leisure market units were eligible to remain open. Out-of-town retail and leisure units remaining open were almost one third of all units in the respective market and over 60 percent of the real estate area in the respective market.