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Northern Ireland leads footfall growth as spring weather supports recovery

Shoppers and traffic on a vibrant UK high street with rising footfall

Busy UK town centre showing high street activity

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Pooja Shrivastava
By Pooja ShrivastavaJun 11, 2025
Pooja Shrivastava
A passionate journalist with about a decade of experience, Pooja has developed a strong hold on the UK grocery retail sector. From exploring legislative changes, supply chain shifts, consumer buying habits, trends to retail crime, her work is driven by a deep belief in investigating, finding the truth and telling authentic unbiased stories. Be it convenience pathbreakers, wholesale trendsetters or Post Office Horizon scandal victims, Pooja has an equal flair for deciphering industries as well as human complexities. At Asian Trader, she aims to bridge the gap between policy, trade, and the shop floor, always keeping a finger on the pulse of what matters most to retailers.
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Average footfall across the UK in on the constant rise with every region showing year-on-year growth- a sign of enduring confidence among consumers and local communities.

Latest Town Centre Visitor Report from Place Informatics confirms that the positive momentum in UK footfall continues to build.

Notably, UK footfall has increased by 1.72 per cent year-to-date (YTD), indicating a clear and sustained upward trend as the economy stabilises and consumers return to town centres.

The improved footfall figures also reflect better weather conditions this year, following an unusually wet spring in 2024. The drier, more settled weather over the last few months has encouraged people to spend more time outdoors, supporting the recovery of local high streets and boosting visitor numbers across the UK.

Using data from over 2,300 town centres, retail destinations, and tourism sites, the report offers a comprehensive picture of how footfall is rebounding across the UK.Key Town Centre Visitor Trends – April 2025

  • Northern Ireland led the way in April with an impressive 5.29 per cent year-on-year increase in footfall.
  • London saw strong growth at 4.97 per cent, while East Anglia and Wales both posted gains of 4.47 per cent.
  • Other regions performing above the national average included the West Midlands +4.19 per cent, East Midlands +4.16 per cent, and the South East +3.68 per cent
  • Positive but more modest growth was observed in the North East +3.63 per cent, Scotland +3.31 per cent, North West +3.22 per cent, South West +3.08 per cent, and Yorkshire and the Humber +2.95 per cent
The steady rise in visitor numbers across the country suggests that the combined impact of drier, sunnier weather, higher consumer confidence, stabilising inflation, and ongoing regeneration efforts is helping town centres bounce back.

Local initiatives-including seasonal promotions, community events, and revitalisation schemes-are also playing a crucial role in sustaining this growth.Clive Hall, CEO of Place Informatics, commented, “It’s reassuring to see that footfall not only rose across all UK regions in April but that we’re also seeing a healthy +1.72% year-to-date growth. This consistent rise is a strong indication of renewed consumer confidence and increased local engagement. Councils, BIDs, and businesses can now plan ahead with more certainty and build on these promising trends to ensure town centres continue to thrive.”As town centres look towards the summer months and beyond, Place Informatics remains committed to helping local authorities and businesses harness the power of data-driven insights to make more informed decisions and support long-term recovery.
town centre visitor report from place informaticsclive hallfootfall growth in uk 2025uk footfallretail foot traffic

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