I long for the day when I can pick up a newspaper or switch on the TV to watch the news and am confronted with a degree of positivity concerning our economy and the commercial property market in the UK.

Data published within the past 24 hours has yet again sent shivers down my spine and confirmed that the retail, office and industrial sectors in the UK are still facing a dark and dismal future.

Inflation is up to 4%, twice the Bank of England’s target, interest rates are set to rise to contain the surge in the cost of living, JJB, one of the largest sports retailers in the UK, are to close a large number of their stores due to tough trading conditions, business rates are set to rise, businesses, struggling to survive, are vacating their offices which they cannot afford to occupy and in several towns across the UK, 30% of all shops are standing vacant as the mass exodus of shoppers remains.

We all know what this means to commercial property values – prices will continue to fall, demand from buyers will remain thin on the ground and banks will continue to take a tough stand on borrowers where the slightest breach occurs.

To stay abreast of the latest commercial property market news, visit Jason Werth’s sell my commercial property blog