Retail parks lead way in shops recovery

SHOPPING destinations saw footfall continue to recover strongly last month as domestic holidays helped to boost spending, according to new figures.

The latest footfall monitor by retail researchers at Springboard showed that footfall in August 18.6% lower than the same month in 2019. This was a significant improvement against July, which had seen a 24.2% decline.

Springboard said it highlighted progress in the recovery of shopper numbers, with the fall dipping below 20% for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Retail parks were once again the most resilient shopping destination, with footfall just 2.4% below pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, high streets reported a 23.5% decline against August 2019, while shopping centres saw a 24% drop.