The recent unrest in England and Belfast has caused a significant decline in footfall on UK high streets, with real estate software firm MRI Software reporting an average drop of 4.8% between Sunday and Wednesday. This decline is notably higher than the 2.7% decrease seen across all UK retail destinations, including shopping centers and out-of-town retail parks. Wednesday witnessed the most severe impact, as footfall on high streets plummeted by 7.5% due to concerns about potential rioting and counter-protests, prompting shoppers to avoid public spaces.
Northern England and Yorkshire experienced the most notable decrease in footfall, down by a significant 12.9% compared to the previous week, while the West Midlands saw a substantial drop of 10.6%. Many shops and businesses responded to the unrest by boarding up their premises or closing early, especially on Wednesday when police cautioned about possible violence stemming from over 100 far-right-led rallies planned across England. Despite the tensions, numerous counter-protesters gathered in cities such as Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, and London in an effort to safeguard their communities.
The decrease in footfall on high streets comes at a time when these areas typically anticipate a rise in visitors, given the onset of the school summer holidays and families venturing on day trips. This contrasts sharply with the earlier part of the summer when businesses in sectors like shops, leisure, and hospitality thrived, benefiting from events such as the Euro 2024 football tournament, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, and the Paris Olympic Games. Amid the ongoing unrest, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) organized an urgent meeting with around 190 representatives from various retailers to discuss the safety of shop staff and the potential need to close shops early if required. Helen Dickinson, the BRC’s chief executive, emphasized the need for authorities to take swift action against individuals responsible for the criminal activities plaguing retailers, expressing concern for the safety of retail workers who fear for their stores and personal safety.