UK Footfall 2023: A Roller‑Coaster Tale of Shopping Sprees and Slowdowns
Picture the UK’s bustling town centres as a lively carnival—candidates for a grand finale, a mid‑year encore, and a post‑holiday slump. Place Informatics brings you the latest stats, showing how foot traffic in 2023 felt the rhythm in a way that’s no less dramatic than a soap‑opera finale.
What the Numbers Say
- Overall footfall dipped 0.22 % in 2023 compared to 2022.
- A 5 % drop in Christmas shopping brought the whole country’s footfall lower.
- Despite the slump, some regions proved to be the champs: the South‑West led with a 4.57 % rise, followed by Wales (4.45 %) and Scotland (0.8 %).
A Six‑Month Snapshot
First half of 2023 was a positive swing – nearly a 5 % lift in foot traffic. Then, like a sudden reversal on a boardwalk, the second half saw a record weakening, especially in November and December, where the drop hit >5 % compared with the previous year.
Regional Highlights
- South‑West – best of the year, up 4.57 %.
- Wales – close behind, a brisk 4.45 %.
- Scotland – modest climb, 0.8 %.
Other areas, meanwhile, struggled. Town centres felt the weight of a late‑year slowdown, especially where people were avoiding crowds or simply swapping their calendars for more mellow holidays.
Why It Matters & How to Respond
Clive Hall, CEO of Place Informatics, weighed in: “The 2023 data is a wake‑up call. It shows a brisk start but a worrying tail end. Councils, retailers, and hospitality teams must dig into the causes and act before 2024.”
“Our data doesn’t just show numbers— it tells who’s coming, where they’re coming from, and what services they’re most reliant on—green spaces, car parks, or the long‑line experience at cafés.”
Wrap‑Up: The Takeaway
Although 2023 saw a slight overall decline, the story is nuanced. Certain regions bounced back, while the holiday swing weighed heavily on footfall. Armed with Place Informatics’ AI‑driven insights, local councils and businesses can now craft smarter strategies to keep the crowds coming, even at the tail end of the year.
