Latest data from retail experts Springboard reveals that footfall in UK retail destinations declined by -4.1% last week from the week before. This was largely due to a drop in activity in high streets of -6.6%, whilst in retail parks and shopping centres footfall declined by just -1.3% and -1.5%; the contrast being clear evidence of the impact of the rainy conditions. The reduction in activity was widespread across the UK, spanning all areas apart from Northern Ireland, where the rise in footfall of +21.1% reflected the impact of the reopening of retail on Friday 30th April.

All type of high streets were impacted last week, with a drop in footfall of as much -10.1% in market towns. In Central London, however, which throughout the pandemic has been the most severely impacted city in the UK, footfall remained virtually level with a dip of just -0.8% from the week before compared with a drop of -5.2% in Outer London. Despite this, footfall in Central London last week was still -61.2% lower than its 2019 level compared with Outer London where it was -16.6% lower than its level two years ago.

At a UK level, the decline in footfall from 2019 was -35.6% in high streets and -27.2% in shopping centres, whilst in retail parks it was just -1.3%.

Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard commented: “Rain across much of the UK for most of last week meant that footfall dipped again from the week before. The impact of the rain was evident, with a more modest drop in activity in the enclosed environments of shopping centres and in retail parks that are easily accessible by car than in high streets.

“The ongoing resilience of retail parks throughout the pandemic in retaining shopper numbers meant that last week footfall in this destination type was only marginally below the 2019 pre-pandemic level. In contrast footfall in both high streets and shopping centres remained more than a quarter below than their levels in 2019, however it is likely to be these two destination types that will receive the greatest boost from the reopening of indoor hospitality next week.”