Latest data from Springboard shows retail footfall in the UK rose by 4.1% last week from the previous seven day period. This compares to a rise of 0.8% in the prior week and 1.8% in the same week last year.
The figures reveal that shopping centres saw the biggest uplift at 7.1%, followed by high streets (+3.2%) and retail parks (+2.7%).
Springboard highlighted that overall footfall was boosted by significant growth in Greater London and the South East, where there were respective increases of 6.8% and 7.1%. This marked a reversal on the previous week when footfall in both regions declined.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, suggested that the increased quarantine measures imposed on returning overseas holidaymakers may have had a positive effect on footfall as people decided to stay in the UK.
She added: “Footfall in UK retail destinations last week not only rose on a week-on-week basis, but the uplift was more than four times as large as the week before, and two and a half times as large as the same week last year. The outcome is a further incremental recovery in footfall compared with 2019, and the sixteenth consecutive week in which the annual decline has lessened which offers a glimmer of hope for retailers.”
