Visitors numbers in Shrewsbury top 2019 at half term, despite restrictions

Figures recorded on behalf of Shrewsbury BID showed that footfall during half-term was nine per cent higher than the same period in 2019, compared to a 16 per cent decrease nationally.

Although footfall in Shrewsbury during the month of May as a whole was 27 per cent lower than 2019, with the national average being a 36 per cent decrease, footfall in May was four per cent higher than April, and that upward trend is expected to continue.

Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said the figures were encouraging for traders in the town centre.

“Feedback from our members has generally been positive, with many retailers being pleased with how trade has been going since reopening,” he said.

“We have done a lot of work with our partners at Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council to make the town centre welcoming, and these figures would suggest that people are feeling confident enough to come back into town.

“We are hopeful that footfall will continue to rise as the summer progresses, with a variety of safe outdoor activities being planned to encourage people to enjoy spending prolonged periods of time in the centre of Shrewsbury.”

Neil Jacques, Shrewsbury BID board member, said the town centre had been very busy in recent weeks.

“After such a long time of being told to stay at home, there does seem to be a pent-up demand and people are clearly enjoying a bit of retail therapy,” he said.

“We have also noticed more people coming into the town centre to work, which is increasing our lunch-time trade and has a positive knock-on effect for all traders really.

“Another thing which has been encouraging is that Sundays are becoming busier, perhaps as people change their shopping habits, and it’s great to see more shops starting to open on a Sunday.”

Fellow Shrewsbury BID board member, Alexis Hill, of The Loopy Shrew, Darwin’s Kitchen and Darwin’s Townhouse, said the hospitality trade was busy in Shrewsbury.

“After the re-opening of hospitality indoors, restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and hotels have been booming around the town,” he said. “Both customers from the local area and further afield have been enjoying socialising with friends and family again.

“The increase in footfall has been a huge positive for the town centre as a whole, along with the reduction in traffic, and Shrewsbury has become a bustling town with a wonderful atmosphere.”