Summer holidays boost UK footfall

Footfall across UK retail destinations rose by +1.4% last week against the week before, after a rise of +2.4% in the week before last, as the school summer holidays continued to keep footfall buoyant. Across high streets, the increase in activity was nearly double the overall result at a rise of +2.6%, whilst shopping centres saw a “more modest” uplift at +1%. Retail parks saw their footfall dip marginally by -0.6%, however. As the holidays continued, coastal towns footfall rose by +2.4% while Central London footfall was up by +6.1%, as “many consumers will have taken the opportunity afforded by the school summer holiday to make trips to retail destinations further afield”. Market towns also welcomed a +2.2% rise in footfall, which reportedly continues to “reflect the benefit of home working to local high streets”. Regional cities outside of the capital footfall rose by a more modest +0.7%. Footfall was stronger during the first half of the week thanks to the less “persistent” rain, with an average rise from the week before between Sunday and Wednesday of +4.9% across all destinations and +8.1% in high streets. In sharp contrast, however, footfall declined by -2.3% across all destinations and by -3.6% in high streets between Thursday and Saturday. According to Springboard, the ongoing, “albeit modest”, rises in footfall from week to week have seen the gap in footfall from 2019 continue to narrow, standing at -20.1% last week across all retail destinations. In retail parks, despite a slight dip from the week before, footfall last week was only -1.9% below the 2019 level versus -2.7% in the previous week. Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard said: “With the school summer holiday period in full swing, footfall across UK retail destinations continued to improve last week. “In overall terms it was a modest uplift from the week before, however, footfall rose in high streets for the fifth consecutive week for the first time since June 2020 suggesting an underlying strengthening of customer activity.” She added: “High streets were undoubtedly supported by staycations, as in both coastal towns and Central London - the focus for many day and holiday trips - footfall rose by more than in local high streets despite the rain.”

Summer holidays boost UK footfall

Across high streets, the increase in activity was nearly double the overall result at a rise of +2.6%, whilst shopping centres saw a ‘more modest’ uplift at +1%

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