Boxing Day footfall drops as London defies downturn

Boxing Day footfall declined 4.2% year on year in the hours to midday, according to Springboard.

Shopping centres were the worst impacted as footfall declined 6.7%, followed by retail parks, which recorded a 4.8% drop in shopper numbers.

Although high street footfall also decreased, it was the best performer overall as shopper numbers dipped 2.8%.

The overall drop in footfall yesterday was slightly less than the fall of 5.6% last year, but a steeper decline than the 2.8% fall in 2016.

Boxing Day footfall was down 10% in comparison with Saturday, December 22, which was this year’s peak Christmas trading day. Shopper numbers were also 9.4% lower than on Black Friday, which has been a consistent trend in recent years.

West End shoppers bucked the UK trend, however. Across Bond, Oxford and Regent Streets, footfall was up 15% year on year in the hours to 10:30am, according to New West End Company.

At that time New West End Company’s chief executive Jace Tyrrell said the West End was “on track for £50m spend” over the course of the day.

“International tourists are out in force driven by the weaker pound, as well as domestic shoppers who are looking for a day out after family celebrations,” he added.

New West End Company anticipates total turnover of £2.5bn over the Christmas period.