Latest data from retail experts Springboard has revealed that footfall across all UK retail destinations rose by +6 per cent over the week up to Saturday, leading to an annual decline of -26.1 per cent, a noticeable improvement on the year on year drop of -30.7 per cent in the week before.
In the final week of August, and last full week of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, footfall in all three destination types rose from the week before.
The cool rainy weather encouraged shoppers inside covered centres, leading to a +9.1 per cent rise in footfall from the week before, leaving footfall 25.6 per cent lower than in 2019, the best result of any week so far from the start of lockdown.
Footfall across the UK’s high streets strengthened, rising by +4.8 per cent from the week before, but the recovery of high streets – hampered by far lower levels of activity in large cities which account for the greatest volumes – is starting to lag behind that of shopping centres, with footfall still 34.9 per cent lower than last year.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard commented: “The last full week of the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme led to the most positive footfall result of any week so far with increases in all three destination types from the week before, and year on year declines that were the most modest since the start of the lock down. Not only did the week as a whole yield far more positive results those previously but, given the situation we find ourselves in and the much cooler weather this year, the Bank Holiday weekend proved to be a remarkable success for retail destinations.”
