New hospitality restrictions hit footfall in Wales

New rules restricting the sale of alcohol in Welsh hospitality businesses has had an immediate and significant impact on footfall, according to the latest data from Wireless Social.

Following the implementation of restrictions forcing pubs and restaurant to close at 6pm and banning the sale of alcohol in all hospitality spaces on Friday (4 December), Cardiff footfall dropped by 25% on Saturday (5 December) to 56% below February levels (compared to -31% the previous week).

It was a lesser though similar story on Sunday (6 December), with footfall taking a 11% hit week-on-week.

Boosted by the end of England’s national lockdown on Wednesday 2 December, overall UK footfall on Saturday 5 December jumped 23% week-on-week (to -45% of February levels), and Sunday saw a 20% uplift compared to the previous week.

In those areas exiting lockdown into tier 2, such as Liverpool and London, footfall increased significantly, jumping by 46% and 23% on Saturday respectively.

Even cities in tier 3 saw an uplift last weekend, with Manchester reporting a 19% jump in footfall compared to the previous Saturday, and Leeds seeing a 23% jump.

However, footfall in both cities remained well below the February average (down 65% and 62% respectively), as well as the peak post-coronavirus footfall rates seen in August (which were -42% in Manchester and -36% in Leeds, recorded on 30 August).