The number of shoppers out yesterday was 31 per cent higher than the previous Monday as lockdown was eased, new data shows.
Yesterday saw Britain’s coronavirus restrictions partially lifted, with outdoor markets, car showrooms and Ikea furniture stores among those businesses reopening for business.
Retail analyst Springboard told MailOnline they recorded an increase of shoppers in UK high streets of nearly one third by 5pm on June 1, compared with the bank holiday Monday on May 25.
Britain’s Retail Parks saw a 12 per cent increase from the previous Monday, and a 36 per cent increase in the number of people in shopping centres, according to the data.
But Henrietta Brealey, director of policy and strategic relationships at the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, stressed that there were still ‘plenty’ of businesses that are not yet able to operate, particularly those in the hospitality sector.
The number of shoppers out yesterday was 31 per cent higher than the previous Monday as lockdown was eased, new data shows
Alison Woolgar, customer assistant at Marks and Spencer, Hempstead Valley branch, wears a face shield as works at the soon to be opened clothes branch of the store in Gillingham, Britain, June 1
A notice saying that fitting rooms are closed is seen at Marks and Spencer, Hempstead Valley branch at the soon to be opened clothes branch of the store in Gillingham, June 1,
Social distancing markings are seen at Marks and Spencer, Hempstead Valley branch at the soon to be opened clothes branch of the store in Gillingham, Britain, June 1
Ms Brealey told BBC’s Radio 5’s Wake Up to Money her organisation was surveying for its quarterly business report survey, and an early look at results for around 600 businesses shows ‘really stark’ results across cash flow, business confidence, domestic sales, and export sales.
‘We’re seeing lower figures than we even saw at the height of the recession for business on the impact that they’ve had over the last quarter,’ she said.
‘It has been a real big sharp shock to the business community.’
Ms Brealey added that restaurants say putting in social distancing measures would mean they would only be able to serve roughly 20 per cent of the customers they normally would.
Additional Springboard data shows similar figures for England as for Britain as a whole.
Footfall at English high streets was up 31 per cent; retail parks saw a 12 per cent increase and shpoping centres saw a 36 per cent increase in traffic yesterday, compared to the previous Monday.
Retail analyst Springboard told MailOnline they recorded an increase of shoppers in UK high streets of nearly one third by 5pm yesterday, compared with the bank holiday Monday on May 25 (pictured: Ikea in Belfast, June 1)
Additional Springboard data shows similar figures for England as for Britain as a whole (pictured: Shoppers in Kirkgate market in Leeds yesterday)
For all UK shopping destinations, the increase was 31 per cent. For England, it was 28 per cent.
It comes as fashion retailer Reiss becomes the latest outlet to say it will reopen its first 26 UK stores on June 15.
The company said it is in the latest stage of its phased reopening plans, having already resumed trading in some stores in Europe.
It said it will implement a number of health and safety procedures to help comply with Government guidance, such as restricting the number of customers in stores and limiting access to fitting rooms.
Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) said it is working to reopen all its 153 stores in England on June 15, after the Government gave non-essential retailers the go-ahead to welcome customers again.
Sports Direct is expected to reopen from the same date, with House of Fraser doing the same shortly after.
But the president of the Association of Directors of Public Health said today that their experts are concerned ministers are lifting the coronavirus lockdown too quickly, saying the Government’s own five tests have not been met.