The latest data from tracking firm Springboard reveals that the UK’s footfall recovery has hit a roadblock as children return to school. In the week leading up to September 12, there was a 6.3% drop in footfall across the country compared to the previous week. This decline was most noticeable in high streets, with a 5.4% decrease, while retail parks and shopping centers also saw drops of 5.2% and 9%, respectively.
Hopes of a resurgence in consumer activity after parents returned to offices following the back-to-school period have been dashed, as the year-on-year footfall decline expanded from 25% to 27.5%. High streets have been particularly hard hit, with footfall down by 33.7% compared to last year, while shopping centers saw a decline of 31.2%.
The impact of the end of staycations and the back-to-school season was evident in holiday destinations, with coastal and historic towns experiencing larger decreases in footfall compared to high streets nationwide. Coastal towns saw a 9.8% drop, while historic towns experienced a 7.7% decline. Even regional cities saw a significant decline of 7.9%, and Central London continued to struggle with footfall down by over 55% compared to last year, despite a smaller week-on-week drop of 3%.
According to Diane Wehrle, the Insights Director at Springboard, the anticipated back-to-school boost to footfall came to an abrupt end last week. She noted that while a decrease in footfall is expected in September, this year’s drop has been larger than in previous years, primarily due to the ongoing impact of remote work as many Brits continue to work from home.
As the retail sector continues to face challenges posed by the pandemic, retailers must adapt to evolving consumer behavior and devise new strategies to entice shoppers back to physical stores. The effects of factors such as back-to-school, staycations, and remote work will shape footfall patterns in the months ahead, underscoring the importance of flexibility and innovation within the industry.
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