Riots cause 4.8% drop in footfall on UK high streets as shoppers avoid areas due to fears of looting

Footfall on British high streets plummeted by an average of 4.8% between Sunday and Wednesday as recent riots in England and Belfast have scared off shoppers, leading to widespread vandalism and looting.

This decline, reported by property software company MRI Software, significantly exceeds the 2.7% decline seen across all UK retail destinations, including out-of-town shopping centers and retail parks.

The heaviest impact was felt on Wednesday, when footfall on the high street fell 7.5% as fears of renewed riots and counter-protests kept shoppers away. Northern England and Yorkshire were hardest hit by the disruption, with visitor numbers falling by as much as 12.9% compared to the previous week. The West Midlands also saw a significant decline, with a fall of 10.6%.

The unrest has prompted many shops and businesses to board up their premises or close early, especially on Wednesday when police warned of possible violence at more than a hundred far-right rallies planned across England. However, on that day, thousands of counter-protesters took to the streets in cities including Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton and London, aiming to protect their communities.

This drop in footfall comes at a time when Britain’s high streets are typically seeing an increase in footfall as the schools’ summer holidays begin and families take day trips. The recent decline is in stark contrast to the strong start to the summer, when the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors enjoyed a boost from events such as the Euro 2024 football tournament, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and the Paris Olympics. will be completed on Sunday.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) called an emergency meeting on Wednesday with around 190 representatives from various retailers, including small shops, large chains and takeaways, to address the safety of store staff amid the ongoing unrest. Retailers are closely monitoring the situation and may choose to close some stores early if necessary.

Helen Dickinson, the CEO of the BRC, raised concerns about the safety of retail workers, saying: “Many retail workers went to work fearing that their stores would be at risk and that their safety could be at risk are due to the looting and vandalism that has prevailed in various parts of the country. the country.” She urged authorities to enforce the “full force of the law” against those responsible for the criminal damage and theft targeting retailers.

The recent unrest has led to looting of supermarkets, shoe stores and other retailers. In response, the Association of British Insurers has assured affected businesses that insurers are ready to help as quickly as possible during this challenging time.