The week of Black Friday provided UK retail destinations with continued growth for the second consecutive week with footfall rising by +6.7 per cent from the week before. This was driven by an +8.2 per cent boost in high street visits, followed by a +6 per cent uplift in shopping centres and a +4.1 per cent rise in retail parks.
A relatively strong week revealed daily increases in visitor activity with double digit rises recorded in all UK retail destinations on Tuesday (+10.9 per cent), Black Friday (+11.7 per cent), and Saturday (+10.4 per cent), week on week. Shopping centres saw the biggest bounce on Black Friday with a +14.8 per cent uplift, followed by high streets (13.4 per cent) and retail parks (5.1 per cent). Historic towns led the charge with a 23.2 per cent increase week on week, as seasonal attractions and festive markets likely drew in crowds.
However, the early evening period proved to be the real sweet spot. Between 5pm and 8pm, footfall jumped 29.2 per cent week on week, suggesting many shoppers combined Black Friday bargain hunting with festive events. High streets – fuelled by Christmas lights, markets and after-work socialising – recorded year on year growth during this period with visits rising +3.9 per cent versus declines in retail parks (-3.2 per cent) and shopping centres (-4.3 per cent). MRI Software’s Central London Back to Office benchmark recorded a notable boost, with footfall up by an average of +11.5 per cent year on year and 16.7 per cent week on week from 5pm to 11pm, suggesting that festive celebrations may have kicked off early.
Central London continued to lead the charge last week with overall footfall rising +13.4 per cent week on week and +3.7 per cent year on year. At a regional level, the South-West thrived recording a +12.9 per cent uplift compared to the week prior and a +4.8 per cent rise year on year.
Yet the cost-of-living squeeze may well be weighing on overall activity, despite strong week on week gains, as annual levels remained -2.2 per cent overall for the week of Black Friday. Shopping centres saw the sharpest drop of -3.8 per cent, followed by high streets (-2.2 per cent) and retail parks (-0.6 per cent). Retail footfall on Black Friday also remained -1.9 per cent lower compared to Black Friday last year with shopping centres (-3.6 per cent), once again, leading the decline, followed by high streets (-2 per cent) and retail parks (-0.1 per cent).
These trends highlight that while shoppers may well be taking part in the early festive sales and events, discretionary spending remains cautious and points to a crucial December ahead as retailers focus on converting footfall into meaningful spend.
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