Week 6, 2025 sees UK Local Retail Centres report a modest 3.7% week-on-week footfall data improvement amid cautious recovery.

Overview

UK Local Retail Centres experienced steady activity during Week 6, 2025, with overall footfall averaging 13,900 daily visits. The latest figures from Huq Industries illustrate a modest week on week increase of 3.7% and a 19.2% decline when compared to the same period last year. While this marked week on week improvement suggests an ongoing recovery, the long‐term comparison indicates that visitor numbers still trail behind previous levels.

To ensure our analysis is comprehensive, we have integrated robust footfall data to provide in-depth footfall retail insights. Detailed footfall statistics and precise footfall counting methods support the findings throughout this report.

Regional Performance

Examining the performance across regions reveals some interesting contrasts. England’s centres maintained the overall average at 13,900 daily visitors, registering a week on week boost of 3.6% alongside a year on year decline of 18.1%. In Scotland, with an average daily footfall of 12,900, centres reported a slightly higher weekly increase of 5.5% although they experienced a notable decline compared to last year. Wales’ centres, averaging 11,700 daily visitors, stood out with the most pronounced recent weekly uplift of 11.7%, balanced against a similarly notable longer-term reduction in visitation. Northern Ireland’s centres led in terms of volume at 15,300 average daily visits but exhibited only a marginal week on week improvement of 0.9% while also enduring a notable year on year drop. These regional differences underscore varying local market dynamics and consumer responses within the broader UK retail landscape.

Dwell Time Trends

Dwell time data adds further nuance to the performance narrative. The average visit duration across all centres increased to 94 minutes, representing a week on week growth of 1.1% and a sharp increase when compared to the corresponding period last year. In England, a slight softening in dwell time by 1.1% was observed on a weekly basis; however, the annual figures show a marked improvement, suggesting that while consumers might be spending marginally less time in a given week compared to the previous one, they are engaging more deeply overall relative to last year. Conversely, centres in Scotland experienced a healthy weekly boost in dwell time of 13.7%, implying growing consumer engagement, whilst in Wales there was a decrease of 12.8% in average visit length, indicating that a change in consumer behaviour might be at play. Northern Ireland’s centres also displayed a robust improvement in visit duration on a weekly basis, albeit with only a modest change in the year on year comparison.

Retail Developments

Recent developments in the retail sector further contextualise these findings. For instance, a report from the Daily Express highlighted that New Look is set to close its town centre shop, a move that could affect local footfall patterns as retailers adjust to market challenges (Daily Express). In a contrasting development from Birmingham, a popular fashion brand has unveiled its new Bullring store following the closure of a previous well-regarded unit, as reported by Yahoo News UK (Yahoo News UK). Other industry headlines, such as the one from The Sun concerning the closure of a high street store, and another from MSN discussing a major store opening with ambitious plans at The Fort shopping centre, both point to an evolving retail environment where changes in store footprints are influencing local retail dynamics. Additionally, WHSmith’s confirmation of a closure at one of its city centre locations, as detailed by the Daily Express (Daily Express), further illustrates the shifting retail landscape.

Economic Indicators

Economic indicators complement the footfall data, suggesting a mixed sentiment in consumer spending. For example, FashionUnited UK reported that January storms boosted online and non‐essential spending, potentially mitigating some of the declines found in physical store visits (FashionUnited UK). Similarly, Retail Week discussed the impact of rising wages, questioning whether increased incomes will translate into more robust consumer spending in the near future (Retail Week). Other economic reports, such as those from Investing.com UK and EDP24, have also noted cautious consumer behaviour and measured growth in retail sales, a sentiment echoed in the positive albeit tentative remarks about the UK’s economic revival in The Irish News (The Irish News).

Weather Impact

Weather conditions during the week may also have played a part in the observed retail performance. Reports from The Mirror indicated that the UK experienced a deep freeze with temperatures dropping as low as -3°C, followed by snow in several regions (The Mirror). The rarity of freezing rain, as forecasted by Metro.co.uk, further reminds us that challenging weather conditions can have a tangible impact on footfall and shopping behaviours (Metro.co.uk).

Industry Perspectives

Joe Capocci, Huq Industries spokesperson, remarked, “The latest data reflects a cautious yet discernible recovery in consumer footfall activity. Although regional variations remain evident and some sites are still below their performance levels from last year, we are observing increasing visit durations that point towards enhanced customer engagement. Retailers and local centres alike will benefit from understanding these nuanced shifts as they continue to adapt to both evolving consumer behaviours and external factors such as weather conditions and economic pressures.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Week 6, 2025 has shown encouraging week on week improvements in both footfall and dwell times within UK Local Retail Centres, overall recovery remains tempered by significant year on year declines. The interplay of regional differences, evolving retail industry strategies and the impact of current economic and weather conditions suggest that local centres are navigating a complex landscape. Retailers and stakeholders must continue to monitor these trends closely to adjust strategies in a dynamic environment.

About Huq Industries

Huq Industries is the leading provider of location intelligence across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, specialising in high-quality data insights on footfall, consumer behaviour, and retail performance. Traditional analytics show how stores are performing, but Huq goes further—uncovering why. By leveraging advanced analytics and an extensive location data network, Huq Industries helps retailers and analysts understand the real drivers of success, predict future trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimise store performance in an evolving high street and town centre landscape.