Rain hits British high streets as footfall declines on Good Friday

The UK’s high streets suffered a decline in footfall on Good Friday as rain put shoppers off visiting town centres.

Springboard found that footfall was down 9.6 per cent on Friday compared to last year, as heavy rain hit Britain.

But consumers were not put off shopping altogether, opting instead to visit enclosed retail parks and shopping centres, with footfall across these locations up by an average of five per cent.

Visits to retail parks were up 4.4 per cent, while shopping centres experienced a 5.8 per cent jump in footfall.

Spingboard insights director Diane Wehrle told City A.M. that Friday is often the most popular day for shopping during Easter weekend.

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“People use Friday as a shopping day and have Saturday and Sunday for family,” she said.

Payday also fell on Friday for many consumers, boosting shopper numbers.

PCA Predict, which works with Springboard to determine e-commerce levels, also found that online transactions dropped on Friday as shoppers chose instead to take advantage of in-store bargains on clothing, home furnishings, and DIY equipment.

But Saturday was a weaker day for shopping as families stayed at home for Easter fun.

High street visits were down 6.9 per cent on the year yesterday, while growth was weaker at retail parks with a 0.5 per cent uptick in footfall. Shopping centre footfall was up 1.5 per cent.

Wehrle said that footfall is likely to be negative for Easter Monday if expected adverse weather conditions materialise.