Retail Shows Signs of Slowdown

LONDON-Visitor numbers to shopping centres and retail outlets have continued increasing week-on-week with the week commencing 9th December showing a 5.5% rise. However, the year-on-year figure sits below the 2001 level of footfall for the same week, according to the FootFall Index.

Dr Ian Wilcock, business development director at FootFall, said: ‘We are beginning to see the first signs of a slow-down with a 3.8% decrease in visitor numbers compared to the same week last year.

‘Whether this is due to the bad weather felt last week which kept people away, a general slowdown, or because of the position of Christmas on a Wednesday this year will become apparent next week.’

The FootFall Index covers 40 million sf of retail space, which includes 100 shopping centres and over 5,000 retail outlets UK-wide.