UK footfall drops 43% in 2020

Footfall fell by almost half during the important ‘golden quarter’ (October-December) compared to 2019, according to BRC-Shoppertrak.

Total year on year footfall in the UK dropped 43.4% in 2020, according to new data.

Latest figures from the BRC-Shoppertrak footfall monitor showed that in the important ‘golden quarter’ of October to December, footfall fell by almost half (48.4%) compared to the same period in 2019, Fashion United reported.

December footfall dropped 46.1%, with high streets hit the hardest (down 49.5% year on year) followed by shopping centres (47.3%) and retail parks (17.3%).

In terms of regions, Northern Ireland saw footfall decline 47.2% in December, followed by Scotland (50.2%) and Wales (52.3%).

“Now that all parts of the UK are effectively in lockdown and with social distancing measures expected to continue well into the New Year, ‘non-essential’ stores will be unable to trade their way back to recovery,” commented Helen Dickinson, ceo of British Retail Consortium. “A third lockdown will be one too many for some businesses.

“Rent bills continue to weigh heavily and the threat of a return to full business rates liability in April still looms. The Government must urgently reassure those businesses hardest hit by the pandemic that they will receive vital financial support in the form of an extension to the coronavirus business rates relief.”

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