High Streets and shopping centres report decline in shoppers

Shopper numbers have declined for the second month in a row, so says the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard.

Overall footfall in May was one per cent lower than a year ago and was down from 0.8 per cent in April.

Both High Streets and shopping centres reported a decline, falling 1.5 per cent and two per cent respectively.

In comparison, footfall for out of town locations saw an increase of 1.4 per cent year-on-year, an improvement on the 0.5 per cent rise in April.

Helen Dickinson, director general of the BRC, said: “The pace of change in the way we shop shows no sign of slowing. In fact, today’s figures show the rate of decline in shopper numbers on our High Streets and in shopping centres has slightly increased.

“Local government, town centre managers and retailers will need to continue to work together to refine their high street offer and give customers practical, positive reasons to return.”

Three regions reported a positive growth in May with the East seeing a two per cent rise.

However, the South West reported at dip in footfall by 2.1 per cent and the North and Yorkshire saw a decline of 1.7 per cent.

Similarly in May, Wales saw footfall decline by 4.3 per cent from 3.6 per cent in April.

Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, added: “The one per cent drop in footfall in May – a slight dip from the 0.8 per cent decrease in April – was driven by a worsening of High Street footfall performance from a one per cent decline in April to a 1.5 per cent decline in May."

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