Stores feeling the squeeze as Covid-19 bites

BRITAIN’S high streets and shopping destinations have seen visitor numbers tumble more than 30 per cent due to the pandemic, according to data from retail consultant Springboard.

It said that footfall for high streets, shopping centres and retail parks over the course of last year was down 1.1 per cent on 2020 levels and 30.8 per cent lower than pre-coronavirus times. Visitor numbers to stores fell by a record 39.6 per cent over the course of 2020.

Footfall was lower in spite of the lifting of pandemic restrictions at the start of the second quarter, which Springboard insights director Diane Wehrle said reflects ongoing concerns about Covid-19.

“Despite the end of the lockdown in mid-april 2021, footfall across all UK retail destinations in 2021 was still 1.1 per cent lower than the level in 2020, demonstrating the cautiousness of shoppers and the ongoing impact of Covid,” she said.

Retail parks were still the best performing destination of 2021, with numbers up 4.3 per cent, while high streets and shopping malls saw footfall declines of 2.5 per cent and 3 per cent respectively. The previous year saw footfall at retail parks fall 23.3 per cent, while shopping centres saw a 42.4 per cent decline and high streets lost 45.7 per cent.

Wehrle attributed the outperformance of retail parks to their “Covid-friendly” structure.

She explained: “They are easy to reach by car, shoppers don’t need to rely on public transport, parking is free of charge, stores are large so social distancing is easier and the majority also offer a large food store.”

Springboard’s data also found Central London saw the biggest annual increase in footfall last year, up 109 per cent, followed by regional cities, which saw a 101.6 per cent rise in visitors to physical shops. In third place was historic towns, with a 78.7 per cent increase in footfall.

That compares to 2020, when Central London was the worst performer with a 59.9 per cent fall in visitors. Regional cities were down 54.7 per cent, while historic towns fell 45.4 per cent.

Although footfall in all destinations grew last year, it is still down compared to 2019 levels.

Before the pandemic, footfall nationally had fallen by an average of 1.3 per cent annually between 2009 and 2019 due to whatwehrle said was a combination of online retail’s growth and people’s financial constraints.

The most severe decline during that period was the 3.1 per cent fall seen in visitor numbers to stores in 2010, following the end of the recession triggered by the global financial crisis.