// The decline in retail footfall eased to 61% from 66% in January
// Retail footfall rose by 16% month-on-month in February
// The overall level of footfall in retail destinations is still only 39% of that in 2020
UK footfall has witnessed a double-digit monthly rise as customers returned to stores in anticipation of the roadmap out of lockdown.
Retail footfall surged 16 per cent month-on-month in February, while the decline eased to 61 per cent from 66 per cent in January, Springboard said.
In high streets, February’s annual decline was 68 per cent, with shopping centre footfall dropping 71 per cent. In retail parks, helped by their greater variety and large supermarkets, the decline in footfall was just 35 per cent.
READ MORE: Footfall to jump by almost 50% when lockdown ends
Monthly, high street football surged 18 per cent, with retail park footfall climbing 17 per cent and shopping centres rising 12 per cent.
The overall level of footfall in retail destinations is still only 39 per cent of that in 2020, and when footfall peaked in August 2020 after reopening in June, it still remained 25 per cent below the level in the year before.
This indicates that retailers will have a significant amount of ground to make up to recover to anywhere near pre-Covid levels.
“This is clear evidence of a growing lockdown fatigue, with shoppers becoming increasingly keen to visit bricks and mortar destinations as a leisure activity, despite non-essential stores remaining closed until April 2021,” Springboard said.
“This is likely to be a combination of increased optimism following the announcement of the roadmap to reopening, and the success of the vaccine programme.”
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