UK shopper numbers rise on indoor hospitality reopening (updated)

shopper360

24/05/2021 12:42

(Adds detail)
    LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - Shopper numbers across Britain
rose 1.1% in the week to May 22 compared with the previous week,
helped by the reopening of indoor hospitality after months of
COVID-19 lockdown, researcher Springboard said on Monday.
    It said shopper numbers, or footfall, increased 2.4% across
UK high streets and by 1% in shopping centres, but fell 1.7% in
retail parks.
    Springboard said there had been a significant 4% increase
week-on-week in footfall on high streets after 5 pm in the
afternoons.
    "The reopening of indoor dining on Monday of last week
certainly supported footfall in UK retail destinations in the
face of prolonged, and often severe, rain across virtually all
of the UK for much of the week," said Diane Wehrle,
Springboard's insights director.
    She also noted a clear gravitation towards larger cities
away from local high streets, as consumers sought a greater
choice of dining options.
    Footfall across all UK retail destinations remained more
than a quarter below the 2019 level - before the pandemic
started to disrupt traffic last year.
    The crisis has hammered Britain's retail sector, leaving
gaping holes on the main shopping streets and costing tens of
thousands of jobs.
    Non-essential stores reopened in England and Wales on April
12 after more than three months of lockdowns. They reopened in
Scotland on April 26 and Northern Ireland on April 30. Indoor
hospitality was allowed from May 17.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2N146H
    Official data published on Friday showed British retail
sales surged in April as shoppers splashed out on new clothes.
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 (Reporting by James Davey
Editing by David Goodman and Gareth Jones)
 ((james.davey@thomsonreuters.com))