Happy Days! The UK high streets are experiencing a significant boost in footfall thanks to the sunny weather. According to recent data from Springboard, footfall across all retail destinations in the UK increased by 11.6% during the week of May 30 to June 6. High streets saw the largest surge in visits, with a 17.4% rise compared to the previous week. Shopping centers also experienced growth, but at a slower rate with an 8.7% increase, while retail parks only saw a modest uplift of 2.3%.
Coastal and historic town centers saw even greater activity, with footfall skyrocketing by 37.1% and 24.8% respectively. The southwest region of England benefited the most from this trend, experiencing a rise in footfall greater than any other part of the country. Overall, footfall in the southwest increased by 18.8%, with high streets witnessing a significant 30.8% rise. Central London also experienced impressive growth, with footfall increasing by 23.8%, while city centers in other parts of the UK saw a 19.3% rise.
These positive developments have led to a reduction in the decline of footfall compared to 2019 levels. Central London saw a decrease of only -39.5% compared to pre-pandemic levels, while regional cities in the UK recorded a more modest decline of -12.9%. This marks the smallest annual decline in footfall since the start of the pandemic.
Even though some visitors chose to stay local, there were still notable increases in footfall in Outer London (10.4%) and market towns across the UK (9.7%). Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard, attributes this surge in activity to the combined effect of the late May bank holiday, excellent weather, and the school half-term holiday. She states that this week not only saw the greatest weekly increase in footfall since the reopening of non-essential retail in April but also the smallest annual decline since the start of the pandemic.
Wehrle further highlights the appeal of coastal and historic towns to visitors, noting that they experienced the highest increase in footfall. However, Central London and other regional cities across the UK also saw significant growth in footfall, emphasizing the positive trend seen in retail destinations throughout the country.
Useful links:
1. BBC: UK High Streets See Surge in Footfall
2. Retail Gazette: Sunny Spell Boosts UK High Street Footfall by 11.6%
