Doncaster streets busier than pre-lockdown

New data released by Centre for Cities has shown that with workers and shoppers returning to the town centre, Doncaster’s streets are now busier than they were pre-lockdown.

Footfall in the town centre is now higher than before lockdown restrictions were first introduced in March.

Much of this is being attributed to the ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme, which has boosted local footfall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights by 20%.

This is the forth highest increase in the UK.

Doncaster’s Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night footfall has now returned to 82% of pre-lockdown levels.

Centre for Cities’ chief executive, Andrew Carter, said:

“Good weather and the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme have helped increase the number of visitors to city and town centres, but a question mark remains over whether the footfall increase that we have seen this summer can be sustained into the autumn without the good weather and Government incentive – particularly with so many people still working from home.

“Shops, restaurants and pubs face an uncertain future while office workers remain at home.

“So, in the absence of a big increase in people returning to the office, the Government must set out how it will support the people working in city centre retail and hospitality who could well find themselves out of a job by Christmas.”

Elsewhere in the country, many high streets are rebounding at a slower rate than expected.

In London, figures are still only just a quarter of what they were ahead of lockdown, the lowest of any UK town or city.

Footfall also remains under half of its pre-lockdown state in Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff, Oxford and Manchester.

The data is based primarily on mobile phone signals, and shows that footfall in town and city centre streets has stagnated in recent weeks.

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