Latest data from retail expert Springboard reveals footfall in UK retail destinations rose by +4.1% last week from the week before; a significant acceleration in the rise in the previous week of +0.8% and +1.8% in the same week last year.

This was driven by rises in footfall of +6.8% in Greater London and +7.1% in the South East; a reversal of the previous week, when it declined in these two regions. Plus, a far stronger performance than the same week last year, when it only rose by +1.6% in Greater London and +2.2% in the South East.

These two regions generate a far greater volume of footfall than elsewhere. This saw the week ending 30.7% lower than in the same week last year; a noticeable improvement from an annual drop of -32.5% in the week before.

All three destination types benefited from a rise in footfall. Shopping centres are the clear winner; showing a week-on-week increase of +7.1% versus +3.2% in high streets and +2.7% in retail parks.

Despite this, with the benefit of large food stores, free parking, and large stores, retail parks still lead the way in recovery.

Footfall in retail parks is now only 10.6% lower than last year. This is in comparison with shopping centres where it is 32.4% lower and high streets where it is 39.1% lower.

High streets as a whole are adversely impacted by lack of footfall returning to Central London and other regional cities; these locations generate the greatest amount of footfall of any type of high street in the UK. In Central London, it remains 61.2% lower than last year and in regional cities it is 49.8% lower.

However, footfall in smaller, more local high streets or those appealing to holiday makers have recovered to a far greater extent.

In Outer London, the drop in footfall from last year is now just -29.5%. In coastal towns it is -28.7%, in historic towns -34.1%, and in market towns -28.3%.

Commenting is Diane Wehrle, Insights director at Springboard. “It seems that the increased quarantine measures imposed last week on a number of overseas destinations are having a positive impact on UK footfall.

“Footfall in UK retail destinations last week not only rose on a week on week basis; the uplift was more than four times as large as the week before, and two and a half times as large as the same week last year.

“The outcome is a further incremental recovery in footfall compared with 2019, and the sixteenth consecutive week in which the annual decline has lessened which offers a glimmer of hope for retailers.”