However, his comments about the ‘seething shopping streets of Winchester in December’ are misleading. During the ‘run-up’ to Christmas, footfall was, of course, much higher than usual. But our recent research suggests that, for 2024 as a whole compared with 2023, footfall into retail outlets on the High Street was unchanged. It fell by 2% in city-centre locations not on the High Street.
The fact is that shopping centers have seen drops in footfall, although they are far from critical. That is why they will pay more attention to what is important to customers. Among other things, free and safe parking during shopping is proving to be key.