According to Springboard, a leading provider of insights on bricks and mortar retail activity, footfall across all UK retail destinations declined by -3.4% last week from the week before, but with the week starting on Sunday, it includes a huge uplift from Sunday 11 April when stores had not yet reopened.
Over the Monday to Friday period – when many people continued to work from home rather than in workplaces – the drop was greater, averaging -10.7%. Nevertheless, on Saturday footfall rose once again by +0.9% across all retail destinations; providing the first indication of the significant impact of home working on retail footfall.
Highlighting this is the fact the average decline in footfall between Monday and Friday in shopping centres of -17.8% was more than double that of -8.6% in high streets; many of which are smaller and more local and therefore easier to access during the working week.
The change in footfall over the week means the gap in footfall from the 2019 pre-pandemic level across all retail destinations was -19.9%. This includes the uplift on Sunday 1 April. Over the Monday to Friday period, the gap widened to an average of -24.3%. However, this then narrowed to -19.9% on Saturday when footfall strengthened once again.
Over the week as a whole, footfall was -19.9% below the 2019 pre-pandemic level.
This is noticeably better than the previous peak of -25% at the end of August 2020. Indeed, in retail parks footfall was +2% above the 2019 level. This continues to reinforce the attractiveness of this destination type to shoppers.
Commenting is Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard. “The positive news for bricks and mortar retail continues. The gap in footfall last week from the same week in 2019 continued to narrow, with the week ending at a higher level than at the previous peak at the end of August 2020.
“However, momentum in the recovery of retail slowed slightly last week, with footfall across UK retail destinations dipping slightly from the previous week when non-essential stores reopened.
“The tremendous opening week for retail was undoubtedly helped by the fact that it was the last week of the school Easter break for many children. This meant some parents took leave from work to visit stores and retail destinations as a family.
“It is therefore not surprising that footfall dipped last week from the week before. Children went back at school and many people continue to work from home, making stores less accessible over the working week; evidenced by the fact that the drop in footfall occurred between Monday and Friday, while on Saturday it continued to rise.”
