Worcester's high street success despite national decline in retail footfall

Worcester high street has bucked national trends, seeing increased footfall when many other cities have faced a significant decline.

It enjoyed a rise of 0.3% compared to last year, while cities across the country saw visitor numbers drop by -3.2% on average.

Visitors number peaked at nearly 2.4m during December. It follows Worcester BID’s popular ‘Christmas in Worcester’ campaign, delivered in conjunction with partners Crowngate Shopping Centre, Cathedral Square and Worcester City Council.

This festive campaign ran alongside other popular initiatives, such as late-night shopping and free and discounted parking, combined with a high-profile marketing campaign which included a pull-out in the Times newspaper.

Phoebe Dawson, Chief Executive of Worcester BID, said: “I’m thrilled that Worcester continues to defy the downward spiral that other high streets are sadly facing.

“It’s undeniably a challenging time for businesses and consumers alike, but everyone is pulling together to come up with creative ways to ensure Worcester is an attractive place to visit and shop, and Worcester BID is delighted to support our hardworking traders.

“A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to market the city and its businesses both locally and nationally, and while we instinctively felt that the high street was flourishing, it’s incredibly rewarding to see these efforts reflected in the independent statistics.”