The latest data from retail experts Springboard reveals that footfall across UK retail destinations rose by 11.1% last week from the week before, just shy of the 11.6% week-on-week increase in the week before the late May bank holiday.Â
High streets and shopping centres benefited the most, with rises of 12.1% and 15.2% from the previous week, but footfall also rose in retail parks by 4.7%. Over the five days from Monday to Friday the increase was even greater, at 15.5% (20.6% in shopping centres, 17.5% in high streets and 5.7% in retail parks).
Footfall rose across all types of town centre, but the opportunity for consumers to make trips further afield during the half term break saw footfall in coastal and historic towns rise by 18.9% and +12.6%, while in Central London footfall rose by 19.4% and in regional cities outside of the capital it rose by 16.1%.
The uplift in activity spanned the entire day, with an increase in high street footfall from the week before of 16% between 11am and 5pm and 12.7% post 5pm.
The boost in footfall last week meant that the gap from 2019 narrowed to -10.9% across all retail destinations from -15.3% last week, with footfall 34.8% higher than in the same week in 2020 (27.9% higher last week).
“The October school half-term holiday last week delivered a noticeable boost to footfall across UK retail destinations”
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard commented: “The October school half-term holiday last week delivered a noticeable boost to footfall across UK retail destinations, with an increase in activity from the week before across all three key destination types – the largest since the week before the late May bank holiday – and double-digit rises in both high streets and shopping centres.’’
