Retailers are not, by and large, a happy bunch at the moment. It has been a harsh autumn, with cruel weather and falling consumer confidence conspiring to deter shoppers from spending. The level of promotional activity – especially in fashion – tells its own story.

So you’d think that retailers might be battening down the hatches. Not at all. Last week, this column focused on UK retailers venturing abroad, but this week’s magazine is packed with stories about retailers that see masses of opportunity to expand here in the UK.

TK Maxx, Asos and John Lewis don’t have a lot in common, but they are all strong, well-run businesses that believe in their brands and are good at what they do.

In tough markets, the weak get weaker and the strong become more dominant. And, while all retailers need to avoid the risk of overconfidence, these companies are saying they have confidence in their business to ride out the storms in the market and cement their place as leaders.

At a time when we’re in danger of talking ourselves into a recession, it’s a good thing that many leading retailers are taking a long-term view and investing in their businesses.

Retailers hold all the cards

Retailers may be gloomy, but, as always, the retail property industry sees the glass as half full. Gateshead and Cannes might not have much in common, but at both the BCSC and Mapic conferences in the past fortnight the champagne was flowing as freely as ever and developers and agents were – publicly at least – talking things up.

This was partly down to the natural exuberance of people whose livelihood depends on retailers opening shops, but also the number of both UK and overseas retailers still expanding and testing formats.

But don’t be fooled. The collapse of the investment market means landlords are taking a bath and, at the same time, letting shops is hard. This means it’s a great time to be an expanding retailer, and it’s a time to drive the hardest bargains possible. Because you can be sure that if landlords were in the driving seat, they’d be doing just the same.