Book Sale, The Works, Select clothing store and Dolcis shoe shop all went into administration recently.

Pippa Farrington, marketing manager for The Ridings, said they were the latest tragedies in the retail market.

She added: “It is unfortunate that they all happened to be in The Ridings and we cannot do a thing with the empty units at the moment until we get the leases back.”

She said rent was still being paid by JJB sports on the former Icon men’s clothing store, which closed in August 2006, meaning its unit would also remain empty for the foreseeable future.

But she said some of the other empty units were in the process of getting a new lease of life.

The unit which until recently housed the Leather Cabin, opposite the Perfume Shop, is ready to be re-marketed.

And Mrs Farrington confirmed ‘a catering operation’ would replace the Textile Direct shop, which closed when its six-month lease came to an end earlier this year.

She added: “It looks like a lot of units are empty, but some of them should be filled soon. Our hands are tied with the other units because we do not have the keys for them because of their going into administration.

“But we are in the throes of a £25m development, with lots of exciting things in the pipeline.”