Retail footfall set to rise 47 per cent by mid-April

When lockdown restrictions lift, at least in part, on 12 April, footfall is forecast to jump by as much as +47.9 per cent. According to the latest research by retail intelligence firm Springboard, more people will be hitting the high streets than at the end of lockdowns one and two (in June and December respectively).

In both June and December 2020, during the first week that non-essential retail re-opened, Springboard reported footfall up by more than 40 per cent. They predict even greater rises for the next easing, however, due, they say, to the success of the UK vaccination programme and the concurrent opening of retail and hospitality.

The largest rise in footfall of +59 per cent is expected to be in high streets, as non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality open on same date (12 April), compared to the first lockdown when hospitality opened two weeks later.

In shopping centres and retail parks, Springboard says footfall will increase by 46 per cent and 26 per cent respectively in the first week of reopening.

While footfall across all retail destinations will, predictably, be 128.5 per cent higher than in the same week in 2020, it remains considerably below (-61.8 per cent) the 2019 level.

Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, said: “As we approach the 12-month mark since the start of the pandemic in the UK, lockdown fatigue is at its height and the increases in footfall over the last five weeks have indicated the pent up demand for a return to normality.

“We know from when non-essential retail reopened at the end of Lockdowns 1 in June and 2 in December that footfall will rise sharply and we anticipate this will be more prominent than ever before with a rise of up to +47.9 per cent.

“By mid-April, consumers will be looking for sensory and social retail experiences, reconnecting with their favourite brands and purchasing new wardrobes for a summer of social events. We are anticipating a strong initial uplift in April that will continue to rise over the summer months as the economy reopens in the UK.”