Latest BRC-LDC vacancy monitor data
Christmas footfall highest since pandemic as strikes spur shoppers to high street
The number of shoppers visiting high streets and malls rose in 2022, but retail park numbers decreased, the latest figures suggest.
The BRC - Local Data Company Vacancy Monitor is a quarterly monitor that tracks the vacancy rate changes to the UK retail landscapes (retail park, high street, shopping centre) as they evolve since Q1 2019.
The number of shoppers visiting high streets and malls rose in 2022, but retail park numbers decreased, the latest figures suggest.
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Pressure is being applied to new retail stock at a time when desire for new physical space is peaking and construction starts reached a 20-year low.
Retail footfall in February saw a sharp increase due to the school half-term and greater weekend spending.
UK retail sales started the year positively, following a dip in December, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Retail footfall in January has dropped significantly compared to the previous month due to train strikes and cash-strapped customers spending less after the festive season.