May Bank holiday provides lifeline for retailers
The May Bank Holiday weekend provided UK retailers with a much needed boost, according to figures released by FootFall.
After a disappointing Easter period, the number of people visiting retail destinations over the weekend increased by almost 1% compared to the May Bank Holiday weekend in 2005.
Natasha Burton, a spokesperson for FootFall said “Although the number of shoppers only increased by 1% over the weekend, we’ve previously seen a decline in the number of shoppers of 4-5% across key shopping periods so far in 2006. The outlook for retailers has therefore improved dramatically, with renewed buoyancy on the High Street suggesting consumer confidence may be returning.
“Saturday proved to be the least popular day for shoppers, with footfall levels falling by 4.2% year-on-year, a likely result of weather forecasting reports that temperatures would fall as the weekend progressed. Many shoppers therefore made the most of the outdoors on Saturday, leaving shopping trips until Sunday and Monday, both of which saw a significant increase in shopper traffic compared to 2005.
“With the World Cup likely to provide more good news for retailers, who can capitalise on the feel-good factor likely to sweep the nation once the tournament is underway, the May Bank Holiday weekend may represent the turning point for UK retail in 2006 and open the way for more positive times ahead,”
Retail FootFall Index – May Bank Holiday Weekend:
Change for Bank Holiday Weekend, year-on-year: +0.9%
Change for Saturday (29th April 2006 v 30th April 2005) – 4.2% Change for Sunday (30th April 2006 v 1st May 2005) +5.2% Change for Monday (1st May 2006 v 2nd May 2005) +7.0%
