Welsh retail faces challenging times as footfall shows decline

WELSH retailers reported a fall in shoppers in November, according to latest research from the Welsh Retail Consortium.

- SION BARRY

Welsh retailers reported a fall in shoppers in November Richard Swingler

Year-on-year footfall was down 0.4%, compared to the 0.6% rise in October. Year-on-year Scotland experienced a 0.3% decline in November, while England experienced a dip of 1%. Northern Ireland experienced a rise of 2.7%, the biggest rise of any UK nation or region. The biggest decline was in the northeast of England at 5%.

In Wales shopping centre footfall decreased by 1.6% in November, down from plus 0.4% in October. Retail park footfall decreased by 1.5%, compared to a 0.8% dip in October.

An analysis of the 11 major UK cities show Cardiff experienced a year-onyear fall in footfall of 3.2%, up on the 2.1% decline in October. The fall in Cardiff was only higher in Leeds, down 4.6%, Liverpool (7%) and Birmingham (10%). The biggest year-on-year rise was experienced in Bristol at 2.1%.