Main-road shop checks: sightlines, traffic lights, bus stops, access

Drive past the shop at normal speed from both directions. If you cannot read the sign for at least three to four seconds, see a place where cars slow down, and turn in without a long detour, the main-road frontage is worth less than the advert says. Score sightline, stopping point and access, then match the rent to the score.

Visibility is not "faces the main road". It is how long, and from how far, the people you want can see and read your shopfront. Run this test before you sign:

1. Drive past twice in each direction at the speed traffic actually moves, at your trading hours. Have a passenger time how many seconds the facade is clearly visible.
2. Walk the five-foot way from both ends. Can a pedestrian see your sign past pillars, banners and neighbours' projecting signs?
3. Note what blocks the view: trees, bus shelters, flyover pillars, parked lorries, a bend in the road.
4. Go back at night. A lit sign on a dark row stands out; on a row of bright signs it disappears.

Our location checklist covers the wider picture; this test focuses on the road.

Use simple arithmetic. At 60 km/h a car covers about 17 metres a second. If your sign first becomes readable 100 metres away, the driver has about six seconds to notice it, read it and decide. At 80 km/h that drops to about four and a half seconds. Below three seconds most drivers will not register a new name, though they may recognise a brand they already know.

Practical tips:

• Fewer words, bigger letters. A driver reads a name and one word, not a list of services.
• A sign at right angles to the road (a side sign or projecting sign) is seen much earlier than a flat fascia when traffic runs parallel to the shopfront.
• If trees or pillars block the view, see signboard rules and trees before planning around them.

Cars stop. A red light gives drivers and passengers 30 seconds or more facing whatever is beside the queue, and when the light changes, a driver who wants to stop can turn in at walking pace. The best position is just before the stop line on the side where traffic queues at your peak hour. A shop just past the light sees cars accelerating away.

A roundabout slows every car and makes drivers look around, so shops facing it get good exposure. The catch is access: drivers concentrating on the roundabout rarely turn in on impulse, and exits near the roundabout can be awkward. A roundabout works best for trades people plan to visit, such as clinics and showrooms, where the landmark makes the shop easy to find.

A bus stop brings people on foot who wait several minutes facing the shops. That suits drinks, bakery, convenience, pharmacy and quick food. Check two things: whether buses stop often enough to matter, and whether the shelter itself blocks your shopfront from passing cars.

Some main-road rows sit behind a drain, a service road or a divider, so customers cannot pull in from the main road. This is not fatal if:

• a service road in front has parking and an easy entry from the main road
• the shop is a destination people plan to visit
• your sign can tell drivers where to turn before they pass it

It is a real problem for impulse trades, because a driver who sees you and cannot stop simply drives on.

Count the detour. Drive it yourself: from the main road, how many metres and how many U-turns does it take to reach a parking bay? If it is a short loop round the block, most customers will do it once they know you. If it means a U-turn a kilometre away, you lose impulse customers and should pay closer to an inner-street rent. Our guide to one-way and two-way streets explains dividers and U-turns.