End of lockdown sends UK shoppers to high streets

High street activity saw an uptick in January as customers began to return to physical stores during the day and to dine out again in the evening.

Footfall was still down -20.8 percent in comparison to January 2019 levels, but noticeably increased in the second half of the month to -19.2 percent below 2019 levels.

Footfall rose in both smaller high streets and in larger city centres as a result of hybrid home/office working, and the growth of coworking spaces that are starting to emerge in smaller high streets, reported Springboard. Footfall in Central London, regional cities and market towns around the UK all strengthened by around a quarter between the second and the fourth week of the month, and in Outer London it strengthened by nearly a third.

The impetus created by the start of the great return to the high street will inevitably generate a ripple effect across all physical destinations in the forthcoming weeks, offering a reason for optimism amongst retailers and retail destinations.