Visitor numbers are still low, but the decline is slowing, according to the BRC. | kbnmart

Visitor numbers remain a challenge for UK retail destinations with a 2.3% year-on-year fall in June, although this was better than the 3.6% fall in May.

That’s according to the BRC-Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor, which was released on Friday.

As is often the case, it was shopping malls that led the charge, down just 0.4%, much better than the 2.3% decline in May.

By contrast, department store sales fell 3.1%, worse than the 2.7% decline in May. Shopping mall sales fell 3.2% in June but were down 4.5% the month before, so the latest figure was definitely an improvement in that area.

Three of the four UK nations saw the gap in visitor numbers narrow year-on-year, while one, Scotland, managed to increase visitor traffic by 0.2%.

Elsewhere, Northern Ireland’s economy fell by 0.6% year-on-year, England’s by 2.6% and Wales’s by a broader 4.1%.

When it comes to major cities, Belfast was particularly strong with ticket sales up 3.7% in June compared to football where ticket sales rose by just 0.7% in May.

Football in Edinburgh and Glasgow also improved, making up for some of the losses in May, while Liverpool also looked strong.

But other cities saw footfall fall, including Manchester, Leeds, London, Nottingham, Bristol, Birmingham and Cardiff. However, most of these cities performed better last month than they did in May, with the exception of Birmingham, where footfall for football fell by 4% this time compared to a 1.6% increase the month before.

So what’s behind the generally better performance in June compared to the previous period of the year, even though it wasn’t as good as retailers would have liked?

Possibly the bad weather earlier in the month played a role, as did the ongoing cost of living crisis. And of course we can’t ignore the fact that lower visitor numbers don’t necessarily mean lower spending. In a report published just this week, location specialist CACI said that even with lower visitor numbers, spending levels are very strong in retail destinations, with many consumers making fewer trips, but the ones they do make are more like “big days out”.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “With June failing to live up to last year’s heatwave, overall visitor numbers last month were down compared to the previous year. However, shopping malls and theme parks saw a rise compared to the previous month, and visitor levels in Edinburgh and Liverpool rose after Taylor Swift wowed crowds of fans. Retailers are hoping that warmer weather and maybe, just maybe, a successful European Championship for England will boost visitor numbers in July.”

“Shopper footfall in June was an improvement on last month,” added Andy Sumpter, EMEA retail consultant at Sensormatic Solutions. “With the rains over and drier, sunnier weather on the horizon, this, combined with events including the start of Euro 2024 and Taylor Swift’s tour, has helped to provide a positive boost to shopper footfall. However, while visits to stores are up compared to May, they are still slightly down compared to 2023, suggesting that the recovery in shopper footfall has yet to fully kick in. With the Euros still alive, retailers are hopeful that football – and shopper footfall – will return home in July, with other major sporting events including Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics providing positive opportunities to attract shoppers to stores.”