Retail Parks in the UK have seen varied performance in terms of footfall, dwell time, and weekday visitation across different regions, according to the latest footfall data from Huq Industries for the week ending December 7, 2024. The footfall report highlights significant regional differences in how retail parks are being utilised by shoppers.
Retail Parks Daily Footfall
In Scotland, the average visit dwell time has increased significantly, showing a 21.7% rise compared to the last 12 months, with shoppers now spending an average of 84 minutes per visit. This contrasts with the South West, where there has been a notable decrease in dwell time, with a 4.8% drop year-on-year, now averaging 59 minutes per visit.
The East of England shows a robust increase in dwell time, up 21.5% year-on-year, with visitors now staying an average of 79 minutes. This region also saw a positive change in working weekday visitation, which increased by 6.8% year-on-year, indicating a shift towards more weekday shopping.
London presents a mixed picture, with a slight decrease in average visit dwell time year-on-year by 1.2%, but an increase in footfall by 3.7% compared to last year, showing more, but shorter visits.
The footfall statistics also identify top performers among retail centres. Stevenage Leisure Park in the East of England, Transit Way Retail Park in Plymouth, and Hainault Underground Shopping Area in Redbridge, London, have shown the most significant positive changes in footfall, with increases around 22%.
Conversely, some retail parks have struggled. Banbury Cross Retail Park in the South East and Pentland Retail Park in Scotland have seen the largest declines, with footfall decreasing by approximately 4%.
Market Outlook
Based on the direction of the latest footfall data and historical trends observed during the same period last year, it is anticipated that the coming four weeks will see continued growth in footfall and dwell time in regions like the East of England. However, areas such as the South West may continue to experience challenges unless new strategies are implemented to enhance shopper engagement and dwell time.
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