Retail footfall data suggests that shoppers are beginning to regain confidence when it comes to returning to the British high street in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
A study by Springboard, a retail intelligence specialist, revealed that footfall across the UK saw a year-on-year decline of 56.6% in June.
This number is up significantly from the previous month, with that same number resting at -73.3% in May.
The study further revealed that the footfall numbers for June 2020 were at -65.1% in high streets, -62.3% in shopping centres and-32.2% in retail parks.
Meanwhile, footfall in England and Northern Ireland rose by 44.5% and 38.6% in the week of reopening, improving their year-on-year result to around -55% versus -73% in Scotland and Wales, both of which have been more cautious in easing lockdown measures.
Central London remains one of the worst hit areas, with footfall remaining 80.8% lower than last year. This is thought to be due to the high number of students and commuters that usually populate the area.
Despite the spike in figures in the week of reopening, the subsequent two weeks saw a modest decline.
With many watch and jewellery stores reopening on an appointment-only basis, some brands are still relying on the spike in online retail to tide them over.
