The study, which was carried out by a leading national property journal, was based on the number of retail and leisure deals completed in 2010.

National agents dominated the rankings in most areas of the country, although local independent agent Sutton Kersh Commercial, was one of very few local agents that managed to break into the top 5 rankings in the North West. In 2010, they completed approximately 150 leisure and retail deals in Merseyside.

Amongst the deals were a number of primely located Liverpool City Centre units. They successfully let units one and two on the ground floor of landmark building, Casartelli located on the junction of Hanover Street and Duke Street, to ground floor restaurant /bar owners. One is already trading, with the other due to open in summer 2011.

17/21 Parr Street was also let to a restaurant / bar owner, who it is rumoured ,will be opening the UK's first non-alcoholic bar.

Other stand out deals include: letting of bespoke Art Deco Building on Bold Street, the sale of Arena House on Duke Street, which is a listed building that has been bought for redevelopment and completing on two sales and one let in Beacons Building on London Road for in excess of £1,000,000.

Jonathan Owen, Commercial Agency Director at Sutton Kersh comments; “I am delighted with our performance last year. Trading continue to be incredibly tough on both purchasing sales and lettings. Activity is steadily picking up and we are continually trying to create new marketing sources to react with market conditions. There are some great purchasing opportunities in the current market for either cash purchasers or funded buyers and we are sourcing these clients with good value purchases. I am realistic but positive on the year ahead.”