Towns and cities across England enjoyed increases in footfall on Saturday evening as restaurants, pubs and bars reopened their doors following lockdown. 

The number of people visiting high streets after 5pm on Saturday surged by more than a third compared to the previous week, according to data from Springboard.

However, that figure remained far lower than the volume of people who visited similar locations on the corresponding day a year ago, as consumers eased their way back into more normal shopping and eating habits.   

On the first day since lifting lockdown restrictions for businesses such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, cinemas and hair salons, footfall increased 9.7% week on week by mid-afternoon.

But after 5pm, footfall jumped 35.8% on last week’s figures, Springboard said.

Visitor numbers were up 26% in central London and the West End, and 29.4% in regional city centres. 

However, year-on-year comparisons showed that footfall remained markedly lower than during the same weekend in 2019. 

Across England, footfall to shopping and leisure destinations halved, while the number of people visiting central London tumbled 75%.

In Scotland, where businesses were allowed to trade again at the weekend and the five-mile travel limit was also relaxed, footfall jumped 69.7% week on week.

Outdoor restaurants and beer gardens are being allowed to open across Scotland from today, in a move that is expected to provide a further boost to visitor numbers at high-street and city-centre locations.

Indoor areas will remain closed until July 15, while outdoor restaurants and pub gardens across Wales will be allowed to welcome customers again from July 13.  

Springboard insights director Diane Wehrle said the footfall figures were “an encouraging sign” for the hospitality industry and high streets across the UK as more businesses start to reopen. 

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