EMPTY shop units located yards from Preston's new city centre post office are still standing idle -- nearly six months after the retail arcade in Theatre Street opened.

Despite claiming to have had plenty of interest, letting chiefs for the site say there are still no takers for the glass-fronted retail units.

The Urban Exchange building, housing the main post office since its move from Birley Street, in October last year, has nine units including a central lift to one of the premises.

Although the Keybase-managed post office and adjoining newsagents use four of the units, the remaining five premises remain empty.

Preston based estate agents, Morgan Martin, are responsible for letting the properties and, although they claim there has been interest, they admit there have been no firm offers.

Estate agent, Andrew Urqhart, said: "We are in detailed discussions with people at the moment, but no contracts have been signed."

Keybase Ltd company director, Fasel Mansoor, is hopeful that the units will soon be open for business to various retailers but said the area has, historically, has not been a hot bed for retail.

Mr Mansoor said: "People were slow to come here at first, but trade has picked up since Christmas.

"Property always takes time to lease and there has been a lot of interest. But this part of town was not normally been a busy shopping area."

Carl Speight, chief executive of Preston City Centre Management Company, believes the Frank Whittle Partnership designed-units would be ideal for a niche market.

He said: "We would like to see the area develop in a unique way with specialist shops at this end of town. The post office is the anchor and provides the foot flow. It does take time for the shops to be let."

It comes as Preston was voted seventh in the top ten North West locations for shopping following research by the British Council of Shopping Centres.

The former post office site, near the Harris Museum, is still under offer according to estate agents, Eckersley and Co, managing the sale.