High street estate agents faced quieter shopfronts in February after one of the wettest months on record kept shoppers and property hunters at home.
New data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic shows total UK footfall fell 4.7% year-on-year in February, a sharp decline from the 0.6% fall recorded in January.
High streets were among the hardest hit locations, with visitor numbers dropping 5.4% compared with February last year, significantly worse than the 1.9% decline seen in January.
Shopping centres saw footfall fall 5.5%, while retail parks recorded a smaller 3.1% decline after posting modest growth the previous month.
FEWER CASUAL VISITS
For high street estate agents, the drop in footfall reflects fewer casual visits and walk-ins at branches, traditionally an important source of enquiries from buyers, sellers and landlords.
Footfall declined across every UK nation during the month, falling 5.0% in England, 5.8% in Wales, 3.0% in Scotland and 2.3% in Northern Ireland.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, says unusually heavy rainfall had a major impact on high street activity.
“One of the wettest Februarys on record saw shoppers shy away from in store visits last month. Footfall was down across all locations, with high streets and shopping centres hit hardest – a blow felt most keenly by clothing and footwear retailers.
“Every UK region saw fewer shoppers, but some northern cities, more used to wet weather, proved more resilient. London was among the weaker performers, recording its steepest drop in footfall since April 2024.”
PROPERTY TAXES
Dickinson also warns that the government’s new High Street Strategy would need to address the long-standing burden of property-related taxes if town centres are to recover.
She adds: “While the Government can’t control the weather, it can help turn footfall around by incentivising local investment. Its recently announced plan for a new High Street Strategy must look at outdated taxes such as business rates which for too long have held back our local communities.
“The Strategy needs to recognise that raising so much tax revenue through property taxes is no longer sustainable.”
DIFFICULT TRADING ENVIRONMENT
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA at Sensormatic, said the combination of bad weather and economic pressure created a difficult trading environment for physical locations.
“February proved a more challenging month for UK retail, with footfall slipping further into decline and reversing the tentative progress seen in January. Exceptionally heavy rainfall – well above the seasonal average – kept shoppers away from high streets and retail destinations, driving a natural shift towards online shopping.”
But he says that consumer sentiment could improve as spring approaches.
“With Mother’s Day on the horizon and the prospect of brighter, more inviting spring weather ahead, retailers will be hoping for a lift in shopper sentiment – and in footfall – as consumers re engage and return to stores.”
