According to the latest data from retail expert Springboard, footfall across UK retail destinations rose by +11.1% over last week’s half term school holiday; just shy of the +11.6% week on week increase in the week before the late May bank holiday.

High streets and shopping centres benefited the most, with rises of +12.1% and +15.2% from the previous week. However, footfall also rose in retail parks by +4.7%. Over the five days from Monday to Friday, the increase was even greater, at +15.5% (+20.6% in shopping centres, +17.5% in high streets and +5.7% in retail parks).

Footfall rose across all types of town centre.

However, the opportunity for consumers to make trips further afield during the half term break saw a greater rise in footfall in towns that are more attractive to visitors than in local high streets. Footfall in coastal and historic towns rose by +18.9% and +12.6%. In Central London, footfall rose by +19.4%, and in regional cities outside of the capital, it rose by +16.1%. The uplift in activity spanned the entire day, with an increase in high street footfall from the week before of +16% between 11am and 5pm and +12.7% post 5pm.

The boost in footfall last week meant that the gap from 2019 narrowed to -10.9% across all retail destinations from -15.3% last week, with footfall +34.8% higher than in the same week in 2020 (+27.9% higher last week).

Commenting is Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard.

“The October school half term holiday last week delivered a noticeable boost to footfall across UK retail destinations, with an increase in activity from the week before across all three key destination types – the largest since the week before the late May bank holiday – and double-digit rises in both high streets and shopping centres.

“Footfall rose from the previous week on every day last week, with the largest increases occurring over the five days from Monday to Friday. All types of high street benefited, but consumers clearly took the opportunity to travel further afield. The increases in footfall in coastal towns, historic towns, Central London and regional cities outside of the capital were at least twice that in market towns.

“There were noticeable increases in footfall throughout the day from 11am onwards last week. Consumers were clearly taking the opportunity of the half term break to go out in the evening, as the rise in high street footfall post 5pm was also significant.”