Footfall shrinks despite summer sun thanks to post-Bank Holiday blues
Despite the UK being blessed with summer sun, footfall across all UK retail destinations last week was 18.4 per cent below 2019 levels.
Meanwhile, Greater London has been hit by a 19 per cent drop in football, in comparison to highstreets the year before the pandemic, according to retail traffic counter Springboard.
But in comparison to 2020, when restrictions kept most doors to retailers shut, footfall has rocketed 156 per cent in the capital.
Insights director at Springboard, Diane Wehrle, said: “UK retail destinations suffered post-Bank Holiday blues last week, with footfall dropping back by around half of the uplift recorded in the week before when the school half-term holiday coincided with the Spring bank holiday and amazing weather.”
Although the first signs of good weather usually push Brits to the nearest beach, coastal towns are still at a footfall loss of 6.6 per cent on 2019 levels.
Footfall fell across all types of high streets in the UK, as fears of a third wave emerged, but coastal and historic towns were hit hardest.
“With many people returning to work, but continuing to do so from home, market towns and outer London high streets were once again the most resilient,” Wehrle added.