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UK shopper numbers dented by new COVID-19 curbs

FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Marks&Spencer shop amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Oxford Street

LONDON (Reuters) - Shopper numbers across all British retail destinations fell by 3% last week compared to the previous week, dented by the government imposing new curbs to stem the spread of COVID-19, market researcher Springboard said on Monday.

It said although footfall in the week to Sept. 26 rose 1.1% and 0.9% in retail parks and shopping centres respectively, it was down 6.8% in high streets.

Springboard said that following the government’s announcement on Tuesday to work from home where possible, footfall declined by an average of 11% from Wednesday to Saturday.

On a year-on-year basis footfall across all retail destinations last week remained 28% lower than 2019.

(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Sarah Young)