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Footfall declined by 3.5% in May, compared with the same point last year when it declined by 0.4%, according to the latest BRC-Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor.
On a three-month basis, footfall decreased by 0.7%. The six and 12-month averages are at -1.3% and -1.4% respectively. High Street footfall declined by 4.8%, following from the increase of 0.5% in May last year.
Retail Park footfall also decreased by 0.8%, following from May 2018 when footfall increased by 0.6%, and the three-month average growth is 1%. Shopping Centre footfall declined by 3.6%, following May 2018’s decline of 2.9%. This was steeper than the three-month average decline of 2.1%.
Diane Wehrle, Springboard marketing and insights director, said: “The -3.5% drop in footfall in UK bricks and mortar destinations in May is a poor result and is consistent with the drop in sales for the month.
“However, we should note the year on year comparisons are off the back of a particularly strong result in May last year of -0.4% which was boosted by warm weather and special events and followed on from a challenging April marred by bad weather and loss of seasonal sales due to the early March Easter.”
She added: “All destination types found it much tougher this May to attract customers, but the fact that the greatest impact was felt by high streets with a drop in footfall of -4.8% is not a surprise given the much poorer weather than in May last year.”
