RETAIL chiefs say Glasgow city centre is thriving and that claims of dozens of shop closures are misleading.

The research, reported in last night's Evening Times, claimed 105 shops had closed in Glasgow in the first eight months of the year with only 47 opening: a drop of 58.

But the figures are for the Greater Glasgow area, which includes Braehead, Silverburn and The Fort, and not just the city centre, which experts say is still "without a doubt" the shopping capital of Scotland.

In addition, retail outlets on the city's Style Mile, including St Enoch Centre, predict a rise in footfall as customers continue to flock to the shops.

The figures, compiled on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers, show that 175 stores opened across Scotland during this time with an overall net loss of 78.

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said the figures did not show the overall picture.

He said: "I think it's a very misleading view of the health of the city. The city centre is attracting investors who are shaping the city which is shaping the future.

"We still are number two spot for shopping in the UK and number one outside of London's West End.

"We are without a doubt the shopping capital of Scotland by a huge margin."

The city's retail community also said Glasgow was bucking the trend being seen across the country. The Buchanan Quarter development is almost fully let despite not opening until next year while Ness, Blue Inc, Yankee Scotland and Joy are all new additions to Buchanan Galleries, and the St Enoch Centre has welcomed drewdle, Truth and à bientôt, with three more retailers on the way.

Susan Nicol, general manager of St Enoch Centre, said: "Footfall last year was 19 million and we are expecting to beat that this year."

Glasgow City Council is launching an action plan to look at redeveloping areas of the city centre.

Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: "As the second largest shopping destination in the UK, there is a continued pipeline of demand from leading British and international brands for a retail presence in Glasgow.

"The launch of Glasgow's Christmas campaign will – as always – firmly places the city as Scotland's shopping capital and a centre that is very much ready for business."