Customers flocked back to shopping destinations as unneeded stores reopened for the first time in more than three months. Data from PFM Footfall Intelligence, shared exclusively with Property Week, showed retail traffic across the UK increased more than 1,000% on Monday April 12, the same day last year.
Shaftesbury, which owns a 16 acre portfolio in London’s West End with a focus on retail and hospitality, confirmed that visitor numbers were high on the first day of reopening.
“It was what we expected, especially since the streets around Shaftesbury like Oxford Street and Regent Street were pretty busy,” Brian Bickell, CEO of Shaftesbury, told Property Week. “It has a lot to do with people seeing other people and it really encourages them to come back.”
He added that while there was “still a long way to go” – only half of the property’s hospitality operations reopened as many were constrained by a lack of outdoor space – things “point in the right direction”.
Chris Geaves, CEO of Sovereign Centros, said the high footfall at its centers underscores the continued demand for physical retail. “Our prediction that there was a pent-up demand to switch back to brick and mortar was confirmed across the board on Monday,” he told Property Week.
Susie McCabe, co-managing director of McArthurGlen, which opened its seventh UK outlet, Designer Outlet West Midlands, on Monday, said: “We got off to an incredibly positive start with visitor numbers exceeding our forecast for the opening day by almost 145%. Yesterday was an important day not only for McArthurGlen but also for brick and mortar retailers across the UK as we welcomed guests back together. “
Landsec was also very popular in its shopping malls. “As expected, with the reopening of the non-essential retail trade on Monday, the number of visitors increased significantly as queues formed early. Primark was a tie with queues outside of stores starting at 5 a.m. before the store opened at 6 a.m. Our stores continued to queue at 5am outside Nike at Junction 32, Gunwharf Quays and Braintree Village throughout the day, ”said Bruce Findlay, General Manager of Retail at Landsec.
“A positive day with a cadence before the first days after Lockdown 1.0 and 2.0. Visitor numbers were well managed in all centers, and extended trading hours in several centers helped spread the guests out over a longer period of time. Across the portfolio, all of our locations were overcrowded with additional exterior covers for food and beverages to support our retailers and give our guests and brand partners the much-needed first step back into normal life. We’d like to thank everyone who visited one of our locations to support our on-site teams by following social distancing guidelines and wearing face covers. “
Other experts agreed that the reopening had sparked a new sense of hope. “This reopening feels different because, unlike last time, the general public is really optimistic,” said Harry Pickering, director of retail at Schroders. “With the summer coming and the success of the vaccine, consumer confidence is returning and we hope that shopping habits will return to normal.
“The next priority for landlords is to make the shopping experience as exciting and enticing as possible, further restoring consumer confidence, and seizing this opportunity to gain the best possible foothold in a bad year for the industry.”
Alison Clegg, Managing Director, Asset Management at Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, added: “With so many users trading or starting up, we are optimistic that we will see the first of many, along with a 100% increase in outdoor dining brighter days ahead. “
Mark Bourgeois, General Manager of Hammerson in the UK and Ireland, added that the landlord had seen “a really positive response from our customers” upon reopening. He said: “We loved having them back and saw a very positive reaction from our local customers who shared the love for our space on our social media channels. In fact, I would say that many of our customers would mislead “non-essential” retail! It’s an exciting time for our goals, but safety remains a priority. Fortunately, customers are now used to shopping a little differently. “
Jenny Casebourne, Retail and Leisure Director at The Howard de Walden Estate, said, “We have been delighted to see visitors return to our Marylebone Village retailers and restaurants. Marylebone High Street was full and alive again, as was Marylebone Lane, where it was especially exciting to see our community make the most of the lane’s temporary pedestrian mall. “
Steven Medway, Space Manager at Cadogan, added, “The attendance at Duke of York Square is 169% higher than a typical assembly pandemic on Monday, which shows the pent-up demand.
“People seem to be waiting very respectfully and happily – the general feeling is a joy to get in touch with people and places again.”
Melanie Leech, managing director of BPF, said she hopes the reopening signals an early end to the eviction ban: “If we have decent weather for a few weeks and people release pent-up demand and socialize, it will make it easier for the government to close it can Do not protect companies indefinitely. It should have the confidence to lift the moratorium. “