Retail footfall continued to strengthen in September, narrowing the gap from 2019 to -17.4% from -18.6% in August, according to retail insights experts Springboard.
Although this appears to be the most marginal improvement in footfall of any month in 2021, Springboard marketing an insight director Diane Wehrle said that this result is more positive than it first appears.
“This month’s results go against the long-term footfall trend for September, which traditionally is a month in which footfall levels off or declines from the year before as schools go back and spending for the festive period is yet to start,” she explained.
“The improvement in footfall emanated from high streets and shopping centres, and it was only in retail parks where customer activity worsened.
“The month benefitted from the inclusion of August bank holiday which occurred during August in 2019, and which will have boosted high street footfall in particular with the popularity of daycations and staycations over the summer months.
“This is further evidenced by the gap from 2019 narrowing to -20.3% in September from -23.5% in August. Over the two weeks that spanned the bank holiday weekend, high street footfall improved to -19.1% below 2019, versus -26.3% in the week before.”
