Brighton’s high streets are back in business with retail and leisure uptake pushing vacancy rates right down thanks in part to workers returning to the office, according to Newlands Property managing director Rich Lowrey.

Lowrey is October’s dealmaker of the month, topping the On Demand Rankings for combined deals in the South East with 11 completions totalling 19,603 sq ft. He also did more retail deals last month than anyone else in the UK.

The bounceback of the retail sector has definitely been felt in Brighton, says Lowrey, thanks to its cultural diversity and large student population which make it an attractive destination for retail start-ups. He also says the city benefits from a high proportion of local landlords who are more than willing to let to independent retailers.