Weekly Wrap: UK Retail Footfall Trends Week 39, 2024: London Leads, South West Struggles

In the latest week of 2024, UK retail centres exhibited diverse trends in footfall, dwell time, and weekday visitation, reflecting the dynamic nature of consumer behaviour across different regions and retail centre types. This comprehensive analysis draws on the latest data from Huq Industries, providing insights crucial for retailers and commercial real-estate companies.

Daily Footfall by Retail Centre Type

Retail Parks Performance

In the East Midlands, retail parks experienced a slight decrease in average daily footfall compared to the last 12 months, alongside a reduction in average visit dwell time. Conversely, the West Midlands saw an increase in footfall, although weekday visitation decreased significantly year-on-year. Notably, regions like Wales and London reported increases in dwell time, with Wales showing a strong year-on-year increase. However, both regions saw a decrease in weekday visitation shares. The North East displayed a positive trend in footfall and an increase in weekday visitation share, contrasting with the South East, which faced significant challenges with decreased footfall and weekday visitation (Retail Parks Week 39, 2024: Footfall Dips in East Midlands).

Local Retail Centres Dynamics

Local retail centres in the South West saw a modest uptick in visitor numbers, while the East Midlands reported a significant rise in dwell time year-on-year. Northern Ireland experienced an increase in weekday visitation. These nuanced trends highlight the resilience and changing dynamics within local retail environments (Local Retail Centres Footfall Report: Week 39, 2024 Sees Varied Trends).

Shopping Centres Analysis

The North East enjoyed a significant increase in footfall, while the South West and Scotland reported decreases in footfall week-on-week. In terms of dwell time, the East of England and West Midlands saw notable increases whilst Northern Ireland faced a sharp decline (Shopping Centres Week 39, 2024: North East Sees Footfall Growth).

High Streets and Town Centres Trends

In London, both footfall and dwell time increased significantly year-on-year, marking it out as a consistent performer. The South East saw a slight decrease in footfall, while the West Midlands experienced a significant increase in dwell time. These insights are crucial for optimising operations and marketing strategies based on consumer behaviour patterns at different times of the year and in various regions (High Streets & Town Centres Week 39, 2024: London Footfall Rises).

Major Retail Centres Footfall

London again stood out with a strong increase in average daily footfall year-on-year, indicating robust recovery and growth. Conversely, the South West saw a slight decline in footfall. The East Midlands experienced a notable increase in dwell time year-on-year, while the West Midlands saw a decrease (Major Retail Centres Footfall Report: Week 39, 2024 Sees London Continuing to Grow).