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| Queues on high streets as non-essential shops reopen in England | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| High street footfall up over 50% on same period last week, but 34% down on last year | |
| Long queues of shoppers formed outside some stores around England on the first day that non-essential shops were allowed to reopen for business since the coronavirus lockdown was imposed. | |
| Figures showed that between 8am and midday footfall on England’s high streets was up by 51.7% on last Monday, while across all retail destinations there were 41.7% more shoppers as shopping centres saw a smaller rise. | |
| However, the data from retail analysts Springboard showed that shopper numbers were down by around a third year-on-year. | |
| Branches of Primark and Sports Direct were among those attracting large numbers of customers before they opened. | Branches of Primark and Sports Direct were among those attracting large numbers of customers before they opened. |
| In Liverpool, the queue for Primark stretched around the shop and along a street behind, before the retailer opened its doors at 7.20am. | In Liverpool, the queue for Primark stretched around the shop and along a street behind, before the retailer opened its doors at 7.20am. |
| The retailer does not have an online shop and had lost £650m a month in sales while shops were closed across Europe. | |
| Mia Melia, 20, told PA Media that she had arrived at the Liverpool branch just after 8am. “I needed pyjamas and all sorts really,” she said. | |
| “I have done some shopping online during lockdown but when things arrive they don’t always fit. It did feel a bit weird in there because it has been months since anyone has been in.” | “I have done some shopping online during lockdown but when things arrive they don’t always fit. It did feel a bit weird in there because it has been months since anyone has been in.” |
| Shoppers heading for the high street will have to get used to new rules before and after they enter stores. | Shoppers heading for the high street will have to get used to new rules before and after they enter stores. |
| The queues were partly explained by retailers placing restrictions on the number of people who can be inside at any one time. Stock has been spread out to allow physical distancing and some items can no longer be handled by browsers. | The queues were partly explained by retailers placing restrictions on the number of people who can be inside at any one time. Stock has been spread out to allow physical distancing and some items can no longer be handled by browsers. |
| John Lewis, which on Monday opened only two stores, is using disposable covers for customers who want to test furniture and asking people to wear disposable socks before they try on shoes. | John Lewis, which on Monday opened only two stores, is using disposable covers for customers who want to test furniture and asking people to wear disposable socks before they try on shoes. |
| It said the top sellers at its Kingston branch had included buttons, designer face masks, egg cups and china sets, while in Poole shoppers snapped up towels, sofas, bedding, TVs and printer cartridges. | |
| Apple, which opened stores in London and Northern Ireland, is taking customers’ temperatures and supplying them with face masks before they enter. | Apple, which opened stores in London and Northern Ireland, is taking customers’ temperatures and supplying them with face masks before they enter. |
| In Sunderland, the Northern Echo reported a mile-long queue outside Sports Direct and there were similar scenes at some of the retailer’s other branches. | In Sunderland, the Northern Echo reported a mile-long queue outside Sports Direct and there were similar scenes at some of the retailer’s other branches. |
| Sports Direct, run by Mike Ashley, was encouraging shoppers to visit with the offer of a 50% discount for NHS workers. | Sports Direct, run by Mike Ashley, was encouraging shoppers to visit with the offer of a 50% discount for NHS workers. |
| A queue of people also waited outside Nike Town on Oxford Street in London, two hours before the store’s opening at 11am. | A queue of people also waited outside Nike Town on Oxford Street in London, two hours before the store’s opening at 11am. |
| Ricky Young, who was there to buy trainers, said it felt like a return to some kind of normality. He said he had not expected it to be busy when he arrived. | Ricky Young, who was there to buy trainers, said it felt like a return to some kind of normality. He said he had not expected it to be busy when he arrived. |
| “I actually thought people might have been sleeping or didn’t want to go out,” he said. “But the doors are open again, it’s back to almost normal, back to business – but we just have to line up.” | “I actually thought people might have been sleeping or didn’t want to go out,” he said. “But the doors are open again, it’s back to almost normal, back to business – but we just have to line up.” |
| Springboard indicates that retail footfall is sure to rise even further during the coming weeks as the government continues to relax restrictions. Further data from the study highlights what consumers have missed most during lockdown are restaurants and cafes (32%), fashion (21%) and entertainment (16%) so it is expected that consumers will continue to flock to retail destinations once restaurants and cinemas are allowed to reopen. | |
| Springboard said the weather had “undoubtedly helped high streets”, as shoppers were content to queue outside when it was warm and sunny. | |
| Year-on-year, footfall to all retail destinations in England was down by 34.2% and on the high street it was down by 41.2%. | |
| In Scotland and Wales where non-essential shops remain closed, footfall was down by 67.5% and 54.4% respectively. In Northern Ireland, where they reopened on Friday, the fall was 44.9%. | |
| However, Springboard said it expected this to pick up as lockdown restrictions were further eased, citing a survey it carried out which found that 32% of consumers were most missing cafes and restaurants. | |
| Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard, said: “Some of the uplift in footfall is a consequence of a drop in footfall last Monday from the Monday before, but nevertheless the rise is significant; and we must remember that these results are only for the period up to [midday]. | |
| “Footfall is likely to increase further by early afternoon as people come out later in the day and during their lunch hours.” | |
| The government has urged people to get out and spend money to prop up an economy damaged by three months of lockdown. | The government has urged people to get out and spend money to prop up an economy damaged by three months of lockdown. |