Jubilee Week, which took place from May 30 to June 5, had a positive impact on footfall in the UK. The celebration of the Queen’s platinum jubilee brought many Britons together to commemorate this milestone, and the country also saw an influx of visitors from abroad for the first time since before the pandemic.
According to Ipsos retail footfall figures, the non-food sector saw a minimal decrease of 5.9% compared to 2019. This is a significant improvement compared to the beginning of the pandemic when consumers were hesitant to visit physical stores. Ipsos also highlighted that towns performed better than cities during the Jubilee week, with Northern England experiencing the lowest decline in store visits, only 2.2%.
Nationally, footfall decreased by only 5.9% compared to three years ago, but it increased by 9.8% compared to the previous week. Cities observed a decline of 14.6% compared to 2019 but saw a 9.6% increase from the previous week. Conversely, towns saw a slight increase of 0.7% compared to the pre-pandemic period and a significant rise of 10.9% from the previous week.
It is worth noting that this week was distinctive due to the inclusion of the half-term school holiday and two public holidays at the end of the week. Despite this, many businesses, particularly retailers, remained open. High streets saw a decline of 8.3% compared to 2019 but experienced a 6.7% increase from the previous week. Shopping centers witnessed a decrease of 12.3% compared to 2019 but saw a 7.4% increase from the previous week. Retail parks emerged as the clear winners during this period, with a 6% increase compared to the same pre-pandemic week and a substantial 15.7% rise from the previous seven days.
A report from Opinium and Vouchercodes anticipated that the four-day Jubilee weekend would have a positive impact of over £6 billion on retail and hospitality businesses. While the footfall figures indicate that this optimism was well-founded, we will have to wait for retail reports in the coming days and weeks to confirm if the expected surge in spending actually took place.
For further information on footfall and retail trends, you may find these links useful:
1. Retail Gazette – Retail Footfall Soars During Jubilee Week
