COUNCIL leaders are confident a strategy to regenerate Bradford city centre is starting to work despite a slight rise in the number of empty shops.

A report published yesterday by The Local Data Company, shows 21.5 per cent of retail and leisure units are vacant in Bradford, compared to 21.1 per cent last year.

Regionally, the average vacancy rate is 14.7 per cent.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council's portfolio holder for employment, skills and culture, said: "You can't regenerate a city centre overnight, or even within a year, but what you do need is a set of incentives and opportunities which encourage businesses to invest.

"In Bradford we've put those in place. The City Growth Zone, for example, is unique in the country and has supported a number of city centre businesses to start and expand with lots more in the pipeline.

"So we are starting to see the positive effects of these incentives, but only by a consistent commitment to city centre regeneration over years, not months, can a lasting turnaround be achieved."

Bradford District Chamber of Trade secretary Val Summerscales said: "I would have thought it [the vacancy rate] was going down. I's a little disappointing because we know there are new businesses moving in.

"It's only a very small increase, but any increase is worse than a decrease."

She said hopefully next year's report would show that more firms were investing in the city and added the data did not explain why some companies may leave.

"Investment is needed and schemes that are operating here certainly make a difference and have brought some new businesses into the city centre - some have expanded and some have transferred to other units.

"We welcome the continuance of those schemes, such as business grants and uniform business rates - it's critical to the regeneration of Bradford.

"Once Westfield is operating, the knock-on effect will be a positive vibe and more businesses will want to take space in the city centre," she added.

The Council is also trying to support businesses through its Invest In Bradford team which offers start-up business planning and advice on areas including sales and marketing, legal issues and cashflow management.

Bradford Chamber of Commerce also administers the Business Enterprise Fund which loans to businesses unable to borrow from banks.

It recently lent £6,000 to Beth Whitaker to open It’s A Trap! comic book shop in Market Street in July, who said she was confident there was a market in Bradford for her business.

At the end of 2009, 22.5 per cent of shop units in Bradford were vacant - making it the second worst in the city in the country for its vacancy rate. Now, it does not feature in the top ten worst performers.