Figures from both Springboard and the BRC show strong footfall recovery since non-essential stores reopened in April but the numbers are still down on pre-pandemic levels.

Springboard data showed that across high streets, shopping centres and retail parks, year-on-year footfall recovery for April was strong but still lagged behind 2019 levels by 32.7%. 

 

This was an improvement on footfall levels in March, which were 55.2% down on 2019 levels. 

For the period, footfall declined 41.5% in high streets, 39% in shopping centres and 7.4% in retail parks compared to 2019. Compared year-on-year to 2020 however, footfall across all destinations was up 240.8% for the period. 

In the first weeks of April, with non-essential retail and hospitality closed, footfall across all destinations was down 56.5%, but since reopening footfall was down across the three destinations by 23.7%.

Springboard insights director Diane Wehrle said she expected footfall levels to improve depending on certain macro-economic factors. 

Wehrle said: “With the imminent opening of indoor hospitality in the next two weeks, we are anticipating that the gap between the level of footfall in 2019 and 2021 will narrow further, although the extent to which this occurs will be a function of the degree to which there is a return to office working, the growth in both domestic and overseas tourism in the UK and the impact on employment of the end of the furlough scheme in September.”

The BRC-Sensormatic IQ footfall monitor paints a similar picture for April. It found the total footfall across all destinations fell 40% compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

Footfall on high streets declined by 43.9%, retail parks fell 30.5% and shopping centres declined 49.8%. 

In terms of regions, the data showed Northern Ireland had the steepest decline in footfall of 55.4%, followed by Scotland at 52.1%, England at 38.4% and Wales at 38.2%.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Growing consumer demand and footfall in the months ahead will be vital for the survival of many retailers, as they start to see costs increasing as stores reopen and colleagues return from furlough. With full business rates relief ending in England in June, the ongoing rates review needs to deliver on its objectives to reform the broken rates system and reduce the financial pressures on retailers, otherwise many stores and viable jobs will be under threat.”