Latest data from retail experts Springboard reveals that footfall across the UK’s retail destinations rose by +4.5 per cent last week from the week before, less than half the rise of +10.6 per cent that occurred during what was the first week following the reopening of hospitality and leisure businesses in England on 4th July.
All of the rise was driven by high streets and shopping centres, where footfall rose by +6.8 per cent and +4.7 per cent respectively, whilst it declined marginally by -0.7% in retail parks.
In Scotland’s shopping centres, which opened for the first time last week, footfall rose by +66.7 per cent. In Wales footfall in high streets rose by +27.5 per cent.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard commented: “ Last week demonstrated that the longed for flood of shoppers returning to bricks and mortar destinations and retail stores once again became a trickle, with a week on week rise in footfall that was less than half that in the previous week. Despite the limited rise in footfall, the year on year result is at its most modest yet, which does provide a glimmer of hope for the struggling retail industry.”