Birmingham shops 'severely impacted' by riots, latest figures reveal sharp drop in visitors

Recent riots across the UK have had a significant impact on shopper footfall, particularly in Birmingham.

According to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), covering the four weeks 28 July 2024 – 24 August 2024.

The riots earlier this month led to a noticeable decline in the number of people visiting shops and retail parks.

How did the riots across the UK impact shopper footfall in Birmingham?

Birmingham was one of the cities most affected by the riots, with footfall tumbling by 8.1%.

This decline was part of a broader trend observed across the UK, where overall footfall fell by 0.4% in August, marking the 13th consecutive month of decline.

What were the variations in footfall across different regions of the UK?

The BRC-Sensormatic IQ report highlighted that while some cities like Bristol and Cardiff also experienced declines in footfall, Birmingham’s drop was particularly severe.

The riots, which erupted in response to a series of stabbings in Southport, led many consumers to stay away from shopping destinations due to safety concerns.

What are the proposed solutions to help the retail sector recover?

Despite the initial impact, there were signs of recovery towards the end of the month.

Warmer weather and summer sales helped to boost footfall, particularly in retail parks, which saw a 2.6% rise overall in August.

However, high streets and shopping centres continued to struggle as some shoppers remained cautious.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, emphasised the need for government intervention to support the retail sector.

She called for an overhaul of the business rates system, which she described as a “brake on retail investment, and contributes to our declining high streets as it leads to so many store closures up and down the country.”

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant for Sensormatic Solutions, noted that despite the disruption, footfall was "tantalisingly close to returning a positive year-on-year performance".

Retailers are hopeful that the resilience seen in August will lead to longer-term growth in store traffic.

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