Last week, the UK high streets experienced the powerful effects of Storm Ciaran, especially in southern England. The dangerous weather conditions led consumers to prioritize safety and stay at home instead of venturing out for shopping. This comes as a blow to retailers who have already been grappling with months of difficult trading due to unfavorable weather.
The impact of Storm Ciaran was particularly evident on Thursday, November 2, as high streets saw a significant decline in footfall by 17.3% compared to the previous week. The latest data from MRI Software (previously MRI Springboard) reveals that footfall in all UK retail destinations dropped by 12.4% week-on-week and 6% year-on-year.
What makes this situation even more disheartening is that the progress made in the previous week, which saw a 14.6% increase in footfall, was completely wiped out by the storm. Even traditionally resilient shopping centers and retail parks saw a decline in footfall, with a 9.6% and 4.9% drop respectively.
The impact of Storm Ciaran was predominantly felt in the southern regions of England. The South West experienced the largest decline with footfall down by 32% compared to the previous week, followed by the East of England (-22.1%), the South East (-19.2%), and Greater London (-14.6%). The disruptions caused by the storm also led many workers in London to opt for working from home, resulting in a 17.35% decrease in footfall in Central London.
James Massey, the Managing Director of MRI Software, expressed his thoughts on the situation, stating, “While the UK was still recovering from the aftermath of Storm Babet and despite the boost from [school] half-term in some parts of the UK last week, the arrival of Storm Ciaran dampened much of this recovery.”
It is clear that Storm Ciaran has had a significant impact on retail footfall in the UK, further complicating what has already been a challenging year for retailers. As the festive season is now in full swing, retailers will need to devise strategies to attract customers and compensate for the decrease in footfall caused by the storm.
Useful links:
– Met Office
– BBC Weather
