Retail Industry chiefs call for action to save shops as footfall drops

SHOPPERS are increasingly shunning Bristol's high streets with industry chiefs calling for urgent action to prevent terminal decline.

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Exclusive data obtained by the Post reveals that since 2023, footfall in the city has fallen almost every month when compared to the previous year.

Just three out of the 24 months during this period saw a modest rise compared with the year before.

Last month it was down 3.5% on July 2024 a relatively positive result compared to March when it was 12.5% down.

The British Retail Consortium, which compiled the figures, said the drop would lead to businesses shutting.

And it pointed to the plight of WH Mogford & Son which closed this summer after 160 years of trading.

Owner of the former Westbury-on-Trym hardware shop Paul Gillam told the Post: "The footfall has been falling since Covid really and wages and everything are going up, and in the last couple of years losing the banks has made a big difference with footfall again.