Weekly Wrap: Week 34, 2024: UK Retail Footfall Shows Mixed Trends

Weekly Wrap: Week 34, 2024: UK Retail Footfall Shows Mixed Trends

Huq Industries’ comprehensive analysis of footfall across various retail centres in the UK for Week 34, 2024, reveals a complex landscape of consumer behaviour, with significant variations by region and centre type as we exit the school holidays season.

Daily Footfall by Retail Centre Type

Regional Variations in Footfall

Retail Parks: The latest report on Retail Parks shows a mixed performance. The North East experienced a modest year-on-year increase in average daily footfall, while the South East saw a decrease. Dwell times varied significantly, with the South East enjoying a significant year-on-year increase which contrasts with a slight decrease in the North East. Weekday visitation shares shifted notably, with Yorkshire and the Humber experiencing an increase, while Wales saw a decrease.

Major Retail Centres: London’s major retail centres witnessed a good recovery, with a notable increase in average daily footfall. However, the North East faced a slight decline, indicating regional disparities. The East of England saw a decrease in dwell time versus the same period last year while the South East reported an increase.

High Streets & Town Centres: The situation in High Streets and Town Centres was also mixed. London reported a strong rise in footfall, whereas the East Midlands saw a significant drop.

Shopping Centres: Shopping Centres in Wales and the South East showed positive trends, with increases in both footfall and dwell time. Notably, Meadowhall in Sheffield and Ashford Designer Outlet in the South East were top performers.

Local Retail Centres: Modest growth was recorded across the East of England and Northern Ireland in local retail centres.

Market Outlook

The forecast for the coming weeks suggests continued variability in footfall across different regions and retail centre types as we exit the school holiday season. London is expected to maintain its growth trajectory, whilst regions like the East Midlands may face further challenges.

 


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About The Benchmark

The Benchmark is a weekly bulletin that discusses retail and real-estate performance across 2,700+ UK retail centres. The survey is organised across four key themes and uses near-realtime location intelligence data sourced by Huq Industries. Looking for data on specific locations?