According to MRI Springboard, footfall in UK retail destinations experienced a promising boost leading up to Easter Sunday, with a 14.2% increase compared to the previous week. Good Friday performed exceptionally well, surpassing expectations with a 26.8% rise in footfall on UK high streets compared to the previous week, and a 15.6% increase compared to the previous year. Despite this positive growth, there is still a significant gap when compared to footfall numbers from Easter 2019.
One of the factors contributing to the increase in footfall was the sunny and warm weather, which played a noteworthy role in driving people to coastal towns. On Good Friday alone, footfall in these areas increased by a remarkable 61.4% compared to the previous seven days. Historic towns also experienced a significant rise of 42% in footfall. However, Central London saw more modest growth, with single-digit increases each day compared to Easter 2022, but notable drops when compared to Easter 2019. Footfall on Saturday decreased by 13.3%, around 10% on Friday and Sunday, and a substantial 22.3% on Monday when compared to the footfall in 2019.
Although the 14.2% increase in footfall during the week leading up to Easter is the largest weekly boost since Christmas 2022, it is important to note that footfall has been slow to recover from the impact of the pandemic and continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels. This year, footfall is down by 10.2% compared to Easter 2019. Additionally, Easter Saturday saw minimal growth, with a mere 0.2% increase across all UK retail destinations compared to the previous week. This was primarily influenced by drops in footfall in retail parks and shopping centers, which decreased by 2.3% and 5.6% respectively. On the other hand, footfall on high streets continued to rise by 4.2% compared to the previous week.
The data indicates that the majority of the footfall increase occurred earlier in the week leading up to Easter, rather than over the long weekend itself. While the overall figures for the week were impressive, the gap with footfall numbers from the pre-pandemic Easter in 2019 remains significant. Retailers must remain adaptable to changing consumer behaviors and preferences as they navigate the recovery phase. Monitoring footfall trends and analyzing consumer patterns will be crucial in driving future growth and success for the industry.
Relevant Links:
– [Link 1](https://www.examplelink1.com) – Analysis of changing consumer behaviors in the retail industry post-pandemic.
– [Link 2](https://www.examplelink2.com) – Strategies to drive footfall and increase sales in retail stores.
