Yahoo News Welsh retail footfall declined further in April with Cardiff the worst performing core UK city
Welsh retailers experienced another decline in footfall in April, according to latest research from the Welsh Retail Consortium. While an early Easter provided a degree of respite in March which saw a 0.4% fall year-on-year in April it worsened to 8.1% .
The fall in Wales, which was experienced on the high street, shopping centres and out of town retail parks, was greater than for the UK as whole, which experienced a 7.2% dip. With bad weather a contributing factor all nations and regions experienced a decline, with the biggest fall in Northern Ireland at 11.1% and the shallowest in Scotland at 3.6%. For England as whole the fall was 7.4%.
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Footfall in Cardiff decreased by 13.2%, representing a 0.3% decline on March. The year-on-year fall in the capital was the biggest of any of the core UK cities monitored, with Nottingham the second worst at 12.4%.Edinburgh was the only city to experience a year-on-year improvement at 2.3%.
Shopping centre footfall in Wales decreased by 5.6% in April on a year earlier, some 4.9 percentage points worse than in March.
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY NATION AND REGION
GROWTH RANK | NATION AND REGION | Apr-24 | Mar-24 |
1 | Scotland | -3.6% | -0.9% |
2 | East of England | -4.2% | -0.8% |
3 | North East England | -5.7% | -1.6% |
4 | South West England | -6.3% | -1.0% |
5 | North West England | -6.4% | 0.2% |
5 | London | -7.3% | -4.6% |
7 | England | -7.4% | -1.6% |
8 | Wales | -8.1% | 0.4% |
9 | Yorkshire and the Humber | -8.4% | 0.8% |
10 | East Midlands | -8.7% | -0.5% |
11 | South East England | -9.3% | -3.0% |
12 | West Midlands | -9.6% | 1.0% |
13 | Northern Ireland | -11.1% | 4.0% |
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY
GROWTH RANK | CITY | Apr-24 | Mar-24 |
1 | Edinburgh | 2.3% | 2.9% |
2 | Bristol | -5.1% | -5.4% |
2 | Glasgow | -5.7% | -1.8% |
4 | Liverpool | -6.1% | 4.8% |
5 | Leeds | -6.2% | 3.8% |
6 | Manchester | -6.3% | -1.6% |
7 | London | -7.3% | -4.6% |
8 | Birmingham | -10.0% | 1.8% |
9 | Belfast | -10.7% | 9.4% |
10 | Nottingham | -12.4% | -5.6% |
11 | Cardiff | -13.2% | 0.3% |
Sara Jones, head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: “It was a disappointing month for Welsh retail, as footfall slumped with a decline of over 8% across all destinations. This nosedive in shopper numbers has hit at the worst time possible as business rate bills land firmly on the doorstep of retail premises. The figures are in sharp contrast to the March uptick – admittedly bolstered by the early Easter - and will undoubtedly be a cause for concern for retailers across the nation.
“With a newly elected First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, the industry will be hoping for a renewed vigour when it comes to initiatives to kick start a revitalisation of our high streets and the wider retail ecosystem. This remains a period of significant flux for the retail industry. Sluggish demand, elevated supply chain and government-mandated cost pressures, and an uncertain economic outlook are all weighing on stores. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Welsh Government’s retail action plan it is vital that we take stock of the commitments set to building a brighter and bolder industry, for the benefit of business owners, employees and the customers we serve.”
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant for Sensormatic Solutions, which carried out the research from the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: “After an early Easter fuelled improved footfall performance in March, there is little doubt lacklustre levels of store visits in April will have come as a blow for many retailers. Whilst a drop in traffic may have been expected due to Easter falling early and the May bank holiday falling late, this will have been of little consolation.
“An exceptionally wet April also seems to have dampened many shoppers’ appetite for spending, especially in outlet and outdoor focused retailers. However, with financial pressures starting to ease for some, and indications of growing consumer confidence being reported, we will have to look forward to May to see if that filters through to improved in-store shopping.”
