Retail footfall eases as children return to school

Retail footfall fell across most of the UK last week, industry data showed on Monday, as children returned to school following the half-term break.

According to retail consultancy MRI Springboard, footfall was down 5.3% week-on-week in the seven days beginning 19 February. Of the UK's ten geographies, only Wales and the West Midlands - which had their half-terms last week - recorded increases, MRI Springboard said.

A week earlier, when it was half-term for most of the country, footfall jumped 7.6%.

Footfall declined across all three destination types last week, with the largest drop, 7.1%, seen in shopping centres, where it had risen the most in the previous week. In retail parks footfall was down 2.8% and by 5.6% on high streets.

Year-on-year, footfall was ahead 3.9% but it remains sharply below pre-pandemic levels, down 14.4% when compared to the same week in 2019. In the previous week, footfall was down 10.9% when compared to 2019.

Diane Wehrle, insights director at MRI Springboard, said: "Somewhat inevitably, footfall fell back once again last week.

"Footfall declined across all the range of town types. However, the drop in central London and other city centres was more modest that the rise in the week before last, clearly cushioned by employees to their offices. In contrast, in coastal towns - which are attractive for day visits - and in smaller high streets, the reverse was true."