UK retail footfall continues to worsen

UK: Retail footfall continues to worsen

By Petah Marian | 20 August 2012

UK retail footfall worsened in the quarter ended July, with high streets particularly hard hit by wet weather, according to the British Retail Consortium /Springboard Retail Footfall and Vacancies Monitor.

Footfall was down 2.3% over the three months to July, worse than the 2% fall in the previous quarter.

High streets recorded the most significant drop, down 5.5%, while out-of-town centres recorded a 1.2% decline and shopping centres were down 0.4%.

Greater London was hardest hit, with an 8.9% decline, while Scotland recorded an 8.2% drop and the East was down 7.3%.

The national town centre vacancy rate was 11.4% in July, up from 11.2% in July 2011.

"Some of the wettest weather on record drove a sharp decline in shopper numbers over the quarter," said BRC director general Stephen Robertson.

"July saw the biggest drop in overall footfall with high streets suffering the most. Apart from the Christmas boost in December, high street footfall has now been down for 18 months driven by jobs fears and falling disposable incomes."

"In most parts of the UK, it's a continuing story of people being short of money, reluctant or unable to spend, resulting in consistently high levels of empty shops.

"There was little sign of a general Jubilee bounce though the wettest June on record did produce the only month in the quarter when shopping centre footfall rose as people avoided going outside. Retailers will be hoping the Olympics had a more positive impact. They will be reflected in the next quarter's survey."

Sectors: Retail