While in Yonne, Friday September 24, Prime Minister Jean Castex insisted on the importance of "
working the town centers
".
A challenge, as a study by Altares published by the
JDD
reminds us
.
Plagued by the Covid crisis, the year 2020 saw sales of business assets fall by 10.5%.
A phenomenon that particularly affects small towns, where the vacancy rate continues to increase.
On average, nearly one in ten businesses would be unoccupied in France, a figure that is increasing by one point every year.
Read alsoWhy doctors and dentists are replacing banks and shops in city centers
Admittedly, the 2020 plunge, which saw transactions drop from 28,291 to 25,320 in one year, is partly explained by the pandemic, but the trend is much deeper than that. Between 2017 and 2020, disposals had already experienced a sharp drop of 19.15%. And the movement is even earlier.
The causes of this disenchantment with small town-center businesses are not new either.
The first factor remains the price, considered too high: "
we must not confuse the price and the value
", reminds the
Figaro
Thierry Millon, director of studies at Altares.
It is in fact not always easy for an owner who has sometimes spent more than 20 years in his store, to clearly identify the market price.
In view of the energy he has put into making his business grow, he risks overestimating it.
Anticipate the transition
In addition, homeowners can be fooled by inflation in home values: “
They see house prices keep going up and imagine the same for their business. This is false,
”also notes Thierry Millon. Because in this case, the price depends on the size of the clientele and its loyalty. However, it has largely changed its consumption habits during the health crisis. The risk that one party will not return after the pandemic is significant. Even more if the owner has changed during this time.
All types of businesses are not housed in the same boat.
While the hotel and catering industry still represents a third of operations, their number is down by 17% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
Likewise, ready-to-wear is one of the most affected sectors.
Conversely, medical services and businesses seem to be doing well. This is particularly the case for pharmacies, whose prices are constantly increasing.
In general, "
great business has been done
" despite the Covid, comments Thierry Millon.
This explains why the average transaction price is up 6.6% over one year, to 198,000 euros.
Read also Thierry Petit: "
E-commerce is the meaning of history
"
An erosion of sales that is not inevitable, he nevertheless wishes to emphasize.
For him, the priority is to support managers who want to take over.
“
You have to learn to make the transition,
” he warns, “
it must be done four or five years before departure.
"Not to mention that more often than not, jobs are at stake."
On average there are two employees per business,
"recalls the director of studies.