June footfall picks up in latter half as weather, music and sports entice shoppers

Footfall for the month of June remained largely flat on last year’s figures, however, the emergence of music and sports events, as well as the sun, offered glimmers of promise towards the end of the period.

From June 1 to July 5, retail footfall rose by just 0.1 percent compared to the same month last year, while dropping by 0.5 percent month-on-month, according to MRI Software.

Post-half term, footfall took a hit as families returned to routine. However, activity picked up as the month went on, rising 3.8 percent YoY in the final week . MRI said the later increase reflected a blend of favourable weather and events, which drove both tourism and leisure, helping to boost retail engagement.

Retail parks led the way in terms of activity, reporting a modest 1.2 percent uptick in footfall. High streets, meanwhile, remained more marginal, with just a 0.3 percent MoM increase.

Certain cities enjoyed heightened activity amid highly anticipated events. While in Birmingham, visitors descended upon the city to attend Black Sabbath’s farewell gig at Villa Park, helping to boost footfall in the centre by 18.1 percent YoY, in Cardiff, Oasis kicked off their reunion tour, causing footfall to increase 25.1 percent YoY from Thursday to Sunday.

MRI noted: “These city-level case studies highlight the growing influence of cultural and sporting events on retail vitality. The knock-on effects extended well beyond the stadium walls; hospitality, leisure, and retail all benefited as towns and cities came alive. Packed pubs, busy restaurants, and bustling shopping streets painted a picture of post-pandemic vibrancy returning in full force.”