Footfall keeps declining amid signs shoppers are holding on for Black Friday

FOOTFALL in October fell by two per cent on the previous year, an identical fall to that recorded in October 2017 and a deeper decline than September 2018 when footfall fell by 1.7 per cent, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

October was also the 11th month of consecutive footfall decline, reflecting the ongoing trend of declining footfall, the BRC Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor showed.

However, there are signs that consumers are waiting for Black Friday and seasonal discounts before visiting shops.

High street footfall fell by 2.3 per cent, now three months of consecutive weakening for this shopping location.

Retail parks’ footfall slipped back after two months of positive growth to -0.2 per cent in October. Shopping centre footfall decline deepened to 3.3 per cent from 2.5 per cent in September. The national town centre vacancy rate was 9.6 per cent in October, an increase on a year ago when the rate was 9.3 per cent.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “October showed another month reflecting the continued long-term decline in footfall. This trend is primarily driven by a move from in-store to online purchases.

“With retail becoming more digital, physical shopping locations are working to reinvent themselves as places people go for days out rather than just for day-to-day purchases.

“Nonetheless, the vacancy rate is at a 15-month high, with many brands disappearing from the high street, and many more struggling under the cumulative burden of public policy costs.

“The recent Budget missed the opportunity to halt the rising cost of business rates for firms employing the majority of the UK’s 3.1 million retail workers.

“With the rates multiplier now set to rise to over 50 per cent, the Government should reflect on the impact it is having on our high streets and plan for a wholesale reform of our broken business rate system.”