Sunny weather provides boost for traders in Shrewsbury as number of shoppers rises 11 per cent in April
Footfall in Shrewsbury's shopping destinations rose by around 10 per cent over Easter as shoppers soaked up the holiday sunshine, new figures have shown.
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The number of shoppers in Shrewsbury were up 11.8% in April compared to the same period last year, while over the entire year numbers have jumped by around 4% - well above the UK average.
According to the figures supplied by the Shrewsbury Business Improvement District(BID), the town is well ahead of both the national and regional averages for footfall increases this year - amid a mini-resurgence for High Street shopping which has seen numbers up across the country.
A spokesperson for Shrewsbury BID said the figures were "very encouraging" - but warned that feedback received from businesses showed that the overall retail landscape remained "challenging" due to increased business costs and cautious consumer spending.
Meanwhile at the Darwin Shopping Centre at the top of Pride Hill, bosses say numbers have remained consistent with last year - but the centre has experienced a 1.4% increase in shoppers over the past 12 months.
A spokesperson for the Darwin Centre said the figures demonstrated a "consistent level of shopper engagement and ongoing resilience" in the venue, which makes up around 20% of Shrewsbury's retail shopping area.
Councillor for Quarry and Coton Hill, and Mayor of Shrewsbury, Alex Wagner, said there was a "positive feeling" on the streets of Shrewsbury.
“Shrewsbury feels really buzzy and lively at the moment, which is no surprise given our independent shops and gorgeous historic streets are looking so fantastic in the sunshinem," he said.
“It’s great to see that the positive feeling and optimism is borne out in the numbers, which put us well ahead of the national averages and are showing ever growing footfall and money spent in the local economy.”
According to the British Retail Consortium, total retail sales across the UK increased by 7% year on year in April, against a decline of 4% in April 2024. This was above the 3-month average growth of 2.9% and above the 12-month average growth of 1.4%.
"A late Easter and some welcome rays of sunshine encouraged shoppers to head out to their local shopping destinations in April," said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium.
"Adjusting for the late fall of Easter this year, footfall across March and April showed a small but positive trend, with retail parks continuing to perform the strongest out of all locations. This reflected the unseasonally warm and bright weather right across the UK.
"In England, the North East saw particularly strong growth in footfall, with Manchester and Liverpool both recording double-digit improvements in footfall. Retailers will be hoping this momentum continues into the summer months."
According to the BRC, in-Store non-food sales increased by 5.6% year on year in April, against a decline of 6.2% in April 2024. This was above the 3-month average growth of 1.3% and above the 12-month average decline of 0.8%.
