Notable Drop In Retail Footfall After Half Term

Springboard has published retail footfall data for week 44, advising that UK retail footfall faces double digit drop in high streets and shopping centres following October half term.

To ensure its insights are as relevant as possible, Springboard has introduced a year-on-year 2021 vs 2019 comparison for footfall.

Springboard Index - Week 44 2021

2021 vs 2020 = +43.4%

2021 vs 2019 = -13.4%

Week-on-week = -9.3%

Springboard's Marketing and Insights Director, Diane Wehrle, said: 

"Footfall in UK retail destinations fell back sharply last week, eliminating virtually all the uplift gained in the week before last during the school half term break.  However, it is important to appreciate that this was an expected result, as footfall has dropped in the week post the October half term break in every year since Springboard starting publishing footfall benchmarks in 2009.

"Footfall declined every day last week, but most severely during the working week, which were the days that had recorded the greatest uplifts in the week before last. 

"With high streets and shopping centres recording the largest gains during the half term week, it was in these two destination types where footfall declined most with double digit drops.  The fall back to the pre half term footfall level was not specific to any particular area, with all UK geographies recording declines. 

"The impact of those returning to work last week after the half term break was clear to see, although it seems the hybrid of office and home working is still very much established; the drop in Springboard's Back to the Office footfall benchmark was two thirds of that in Central London as a whole, at the same time the decline in footfall in Outer London and Market towns - which are synonymous with home working - was half that in large city centres across the UK."

Source : Insight DIY Team using Springboard data

Image : Travelling Yorkshireman / shutterstock.com (1740530756)

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