17/04/13….High street footfall bouncing back
NEW figures based on research in towns across England and Wales today revealed that footfall counts ? the numbers of people visiting high streets and town centres ? have bounced back after collapsing last year.
Vacant property rates have also reduced, providing a glimmer of hope for hard pressed high streets.
Social enterprise, amt-i (part of national charity AMT) today released overall figures revealing high street and town centre performance for 2012, and how this compared to previous years.
The statistics, compiled based on research in 83 participating towns, showed that:
– Footfall has increased by 18% at ‘busy’ times of day since 2011 ? but is still 22% lower than in 2009
– The average number of vacant units in towns surveyed is 8% (down from 9% last year)
– Prime retail rents in towns surveyed has dropped further, to an average of
