The return of Oasis, Wimbledon and hotter weather have helped drive a pick-up in high street footfall across the UK. New data showed a surge in visitor numbers across Cardiff following the band's first gigs since reforming at the city's Principality Stadium.
Weekly footfall data from retail technology firm MRI Software showed that the number of people in Cardiff jumped by 25.1% year-on-year between Thursday 3 July and Sunday 6 July. This represented a 10.6% uplift against the previous week.
Friday surge hits 61.9% increase
The data showed a particularly strong performance on Friday, the opening night of Oasis' tour, when footfall was up 61.9% year-on-year. The retail analysis business said the early data suggests the Oasis tour is more than just a cultural event.
"Early data suggests that the Oasis tour is more than just a cultural event, it's a catalyst for Cardiff," MRI Software said. "With the band set to visit major cities throughout the summer, retailers, hospitality, and venues hosting the tour should expect to see similar trends, providing a timely boost to footfall and spending during the crucial summer trading period."
Wimbledon and weather boost nationwide
Elsewhere, the research also pointed towards a significant boost from sporting events, with MRI Software highlighting a positive performance linked to the start of Wimbledon. Across the UK, overall footfall across high streets and other retail destinations ticked higher over the week from Sunday to Saturday 5 July, as visitor numbers were also buoyed by warmer weather.
Retail footfall rose by 1.5% last week in all UK retail destinations compared to the week before, according to the figures, with retail parks performing particularly strongly. Footfall across retail locations peaked on Thursday, while there were marginal dips on Tuesday and Friday.
London benefits from cultural events
The data also showed that London locations benefited from a rise in footfall compared to the previous week. MRI Software noted this was "particularly office dense areas within the capital which could indicate the pull of cultural and social events".
The combination of major entertainment events and improved weather conditions appears to be driving increased consumer activity across multiple UK cities during the crucial summer trading period.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
