Shopper numbers across Britain rose 0.5% in the week to 15 May versus the previous week, ahead of Monday's reopening of indoor hospitality which is expected to bring a further boost to footfall, researcher Springboard has said.
The increase was the first in four weeks.
Springboard said shopper numbers on UK high streets rose 3.9% but were down 3.4% in retail parks and down 2.8% in shopping centres.
'A Bounce Back'
"The result was a largely a result of a bounce back from a drop in shopper activity that occurred over the bank holiday weekend the week before," said Diane Wehrle, Springboard's insights director.
Non-essential stores reopened in England and Wales on 12 April after more than three months of COVID-19 lockdown. They reopened in Scotland on 26 April and Northern Ireland on 30 April.
Hospitality has now also opened up further.
From Monday, most people in the UK will be free once again to drink a pint in a pub, sit down to an indoor meal in a cafe or restaurant and visit the cinema after a series of lockdowns that imposed the strictest restrictions in peacetime history.
'A Further Uplift'
"With indoor hospitality opening today the return of shoppers to high streets couldn't come at a better time, suggesting we will see a further uplift in footfall as the opportunity to eat and drink inside protected from the elements will give shoppers an incentive to visit high streets more frequently and dwell longer," said Wehrle.
Springboard said footfall versus the same week in 2019 was down 28.1%.
In the week to 8 May, shopper numbers across Britain fell 4.1% versus the previous week, registering a third straight week of decline, with rain across much of the country hitting activity.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. For more Retail stories, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
