This comes on the back of some high-profile rent reviews in centres such as Blanchardstown, Jervis Street, Liffey Valley and the Pavilions in Dublin and the Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick.

On Grafton Street, UK retailer Jigsaw has sold its lease to Ted Baker for a reported 1.4m citing escalating rental costs while Cafe Java sold its lease on the street for 1m citing the same reason.

Retailer Footlocker is to sell the lease of their store on Grafton Street and also their unit on Shop Street in Galway. There is also evidence that provincial retailers in high streets locations are finding it difficult to increase sales sufficiently in order to pay headline rents, despite strong trading conditions.

At the same time, many retailers have ambitious rollout programmes. Ladbrokes plan to open 45 new stores in Ireland over the next two years, Musgraves are planning 37 new stores in 2007, while Pulse Accessories also plan to open at least 30 new stores this year.

Belgian childrenswear chain Premaman are planning to expand in Drogheda, Limerick and Cork.

Interestingly, some Irish retailers are considering the potential of overseas expansion, as demonstrated by Heaton's decision to expand into the Polish market. With oversupply still a reality in sections of the Irish retail park market, deals are taking longer to conclude and tenants are negotiating some very attractive terms.