The return to office work in the UK has had a positive impact on footfall in high street areas, especially in central London. After three weeks of decline, footfall in all retail destinations in the country increased during the week of 19-25 September. This increase was a significant improvement compared to the same week in both 2019 and 2020, which also saw footfall decline.
Interestingly, the highest increase in footfall was observed in central London and major city centers outside of the capital, with a week-on-week rise of 6.5% and 6.1% respectively. Locations with a high concentration of office buildings saw an even greater increase in footfall, with an 8.8% rise.
According to retail insights company Springboard, overall footfall in the UK increased by 2.7% in the last week, with high streets experiencing a 3.7% rise, shopping centers seeing a 2.3% increase, and retail parks recording a 0.9% growth. In contrast, outer London and market towns, which had benefited from remote working, only saw a modest rise of 1.5% in footfall.
The data further supports the idea that the return to office work has begun, as footfall on weekdays in high streets increased by 6.7%, but dropped by 1.5% on Saturdays. Similarly, footfall in shopping centers rose by an average of 3% from Monday to Friday, but only grew by 0.4% on Saturdays.
This increase in footfall in high streets during this period is a significant improvement from the same week in 2019, when footfall had declined by 6.3%. The positive change, coupled with the growth in footfall in shopping centers and retail parks, has narrowed the footfall gap from 2019 to -15.2%, compared to -19.9% in the previous week. In high streets specifically, the gap has narrowed even further to -15.8% from -24.4% in the previous week, while footfall in shopping centers remains 23.6% below the 2019 level.
Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard, commented on the situation, stating that the increase in high street footfall was undoubtedly influenced by the return to office work. She noted that the increase in footfall was more significant in central London and major city centers outside of the capital compared to smaller high streets and outer London areas. In fact, footfall increased even more in central London areas predominantly occupied by offices.
Wehrle also pointed out that the greater rise in footfall in high streets has significantly narrowed the gap from 2019 levels, now standing at a third less than the footfall decline observed in shopping centers during the same period.
Overall, the increase in footfall across retail destinations in the UK, particularly in central London and major city centers, is a promising sign for the recovery of the high street. The return to office work has played a significant role in driving this footfall growth, and as more workers return to their offices, footfall numbers are expected to continue rising.
Useful links:
1. [Springboard](https://www.spring-board.info/){target=”_blank”} – Retail insights company providing data on footfall trends.
2. [Recovery of High Street](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58738942){target=”_blank”} – BBC article discussing the promising signs of recovery for the high street in the UK.
