If Boris Johnson thinks that introducing all the restrictions of Plan B was a pain-free way to bury news of Christmas parties in Downing Street last year, he should think again.
According to retail experts Springboard, there will be a significant impact on footfall in UK retail destinations following last night’s government announcement, which included guidance to work from home if possible.
In central London and city centres outside of the capital footfall is currently 20% below the 2019 level, with the gap in footfall from 2019 in central London narrowing from -58% in May, and from -34% in large cities outside of the capital.
Springboard predicts a widening of this gap, with a footfall dropping to 50% below the 2019 level in Central London and 30% below 2019 in cities outside of the capital.
Shopping is expected to hold firm in retail parks, and could even improve from today’s 4% below the 2019 level to just 2% below as people avoid crowded city centres.
Springboard predicts in outer London footfall will shift from its current level of -10% below 2019 to -15%, in market towns footfall will shift to -19% below 2019 from its current level of -16% and in shopping centres to -28% from its current level of -22%.
