Local high streets weather Covid better than city centres

Local high streets have weathered the pandemic storm better than city centre shopping areas, analysis has shown. 

Workers staying at home and restrictions on travel gave a boost to convenience stores, butchers and independent businesses such as coffee shops. 

Shift-change: Workers staying at home and restrictions on travel gave a boost to convenience stores, butchers and independent businesses

The number of people heading out to shop in smaller market and coastal towns fell by just a third in 2020, compared to 2019. In London the figure was 59 per cent, Springboard said. 

Diane Wehrle, from Springboard, said: ‘The types of destinations consumers visit is likely to continue to change in 2021… driven by the shift to home working.’ 

Retail parks saw footfall drop by just 23 per cent on 2019.