Retail

First rise in high street footfall in two years

by XPRESS, 23 February 2016

High streets generated their first rise in footfall in more than two years last month. High street shopper numbers rose 0.2% year on year in January, marking the first increase since July 2013, a significant turnaround from Christmas, when footfall dropped 4%.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium and Springboard showed the average footfall across all types of location rose 1.2%, significantly above the 2.2% drop in December. 

Retail parks were the stand-out performer as numbers reached 5.2%, up from a three-month average of 3%. Shopping centre traffic was flat, up from the 1.6% drop the previous month. 

Town centre cacancies fell to 8.7%, the lowest rate since July 2011, when BRC and Springboard started recording data. 

 

 

Article Source: Retail Week.