Half-Term, Bank Holiday And Sun Boosts Footfall

09/06/2021

Half-term, bank holiday and warm weather sees footfall soar across the UK

Latest figures from retail expert Springboard show footfall in UK retail destinations rose by +11.6% last week from the week before; by +17.4% in high streets versus +8.7% in shopping centres, and just +2.3% in retail parks.

In coastal and historic town centres the uplift was significantly greater; +37.1% in coastal towns and +24.8% in historic towns. Due to visitors flocking to resorts, the southwest benefited, with a rise in footfall greater than in any other part of the UK of +18.8% overall. Also, +30.8% in high streets.

Whilst the greatest rises in activity were in coastal and historic towns, large city centres also benefitted. Central London saw footfall increase by +23.8% and +19.3% in city centres elsewhere in the UK. This meant that the gap in footfall from 2019 narrowed to -39.5% in Central London and just -12.9% in regional cities across the UK; the most modest annual decline in footfall since before the pandemic. Some visitors stayed local, however, the increases in footfall were more modest at +10.4% in Outer London and +9.7% in market towns across the UK.

Commenting is Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard.

“A combination of the late May bank holiday, incredible weather and the school half-term holiday had a hugely beneficial effect on customer activity in UK retail destinations last week. It not only led to the greatest weekly increase in footfall since the reopening of non-essential retail in April but also the most modest annual decline since the start of the pandemic.

“Inevitably visitors wanted to be outside to enjoy the weather. So by far, the greatest benefit was seen by high streets, where the rise in footfall from the week before was double that in shopping centres, and eight times that in retail parks. Staycations clearly fuelled an increase in footfall in coastal towns; surpassing that in any other type of high street and a rise in footfall in high streets in the southwest that was nearly double the increase in high streets across the UK and Greater London.

“The fact that the bank holiday occurred a week earlier than in the previous two years meant that footfall in both coastal and historic towns was actually higher last week than in the same week in 2019. Whilst the attraction of coastal and historic towns to visitors meant they benefited the most last week, there was still a significant rise in footfall in Central London and other regional cities across the UK. The most modest increases once again occurred in more local high streets.”