June footfall edges up 0.1% as promotions and warm weather boosts shopper visits

High street footfall jumped 1.4%, while out-of-town footfall increased 0.6%, which were both above the UK average, according to the British Retail Consortium-Springboard footfall monitor.

But shopping centre footfall dropped 3% from a 1.7% slump in May.

In the first six months of 2013, footfall fell 1.5% on average compared with a 2.9% decline during the same period in 2012.

BRC director general Helen Dickinson said: “The improvement in the weather may well have contributed to this. Our recent retail sales figures showed a strong performance from fashion and footwear and it is likely that shoppers took advantage of the start of the sunshine in June to visit their local high street and buy items for their summer wardrobes.”

All of the increase in footfall came from four areas in the UK, namely Greater London, where footfall increased 2.4%, Scotland, where footfall jumped 1.2%, the West Midlands which increased footfall 1.3% and Wales, where footfall rose 2.3%.

The UK regions which were hit the hardest were the East and East Midlands, as they both fell 1.9%.

Springboard retail insights director Diane Wehrle said: “In part, the more favourable performance of high streets can be put down to the fact that they underwent a greater decline in footfall than managed shopping locations in previous years, and so start from a lower base. 

“However, the benefit of high streets being “open for business” 24 hours a day is also key as it is footfall which falls outside usual retail trading hours - rather than between 9am and 5pm - which is improving, and clearly shielding high streets against the ill winds of a long term decline in customer numbers.”