High Streets Thrive, Retail Parks Struggle Amidst Good Weather and No Restrictions
- Footfall increased by 15% leading up to Easter compared to the previous week
- High streets saw a +27.3% increase on Thursday
- Easter weekend footfall dropped marginally compared to the previous weekend
- Retail parks had -4.3% lower footfall than in 2019
- Footfall rose by +5.8% on Good Friday
- Coastal towns saw a +33.6% increase due to good weather
- High streets attracted +2.9% more visitors on Saturday compared to the previous weekend
- Shopping centres experienced -13.5% drop in footfall on Monday
- Retail parks had a +8.8% rise in footfall on Easter Monday for groceries and food replenishment
Footfall increased by an average of +15% in the days leading up to Easter compared to the previous week, with high streets experiencing a significant +27.3% rise on Thursday, according to Springboard’s data. However, over the Easter weekend itself (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), there was a marginal drop of -0.1% compared to the previous weekend. This can be attributed to it being the first Easter without social restrictions since 2019, causing consumers to bring forward their shopping trips rather than delaying them for the weekend. Retail parks saw footfall -13% lower than in 2019, while high streets and historic towns experienced a +15.8% and +10% increase respectively. In Central London and other large city centres, footfall rose by 14.3%. The uplift in footfall slowed down on Saturday with only a +0.2% rise from the previous week, but high streets still attracted +2.9% more visitors than the prior Saturday. On Monday, footfall dropped -8.6%, particularly in high streets and shopping centers (-13.5%). Retail parks saw a +8.8% increase on Easter Monday for grocery and food replenishment.
Factuality Level: 9
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about footfall trends during Easter weekend, citing data from retail experts Springboard. It presents a clear picture of how consumer behavior was affected by the absence of social restrictions and good weather. The article is well-structured and does not include any irrelevant or sensational details.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about footfall trends during Easter weekend and offers insights into consumer behavior based on weather and social restrictions. It includes data from a retail expert and compares footfall to previous years. However, it could benefit from more analysis or contextualization of the findings.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Retail and leisure industries
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses changes in footfall during Easter weekend, which can impact retail businesses and their revenues.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the article.
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