The number of shoppers in Sheffield city centre has increased over the last year-bucking a national trend of on-going decline.
City and town centres across the UK suffered an average decline in footfall of 1.1 per cent in 2011. However Sheffield recorded a 0.5 per cent increase in January compared to a year ago, with a staggering 1,209,108 visits to the city centre in the month.
Julie Dore, Council leader said: “This is one of a number of recent encouraging signs that Sheffield is faring better than average on a national scale.
“We know that times have been tough, and we will never be complacent about the challenges we still face taking the city forward, but there is much to be optimistic about here.”
Sheffield City Council also carried out its three-monthly survey among shoppers to find out their opinions about the city centre, which also revealed improvements. Those surveyed said they felt safer and the city centre was cleaner and better managed compared to three months ago.
Those who felt safe in the city centre increased from 80.2 per cent to 81.6 per cent, a total of 96 per cent of people surveyed were happy with the standard of cleanliness, a growth of two percentage points, while 96 per cent felt the city centre was well managed, a growth of four percentage points.
The good news was hailed by commercial property shopkeepers and businesses leaders-who believe the rise in shoppers is down to factors ranging from festivals such as Tramlines and the Food Festival pulling in crowds, environmental improvements and more people living in the city centre, as Executive director at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Richard Wright, said: “It shows the value of a good environment and an active events programme to attract the visitors in.”
Traders in the city centre also agreed with Richard. Stefan Gallagher, of retailer Slide Board on Division Street, said: “I think events held in the Devonshire Quarter, such as Tramline and the outdoor markets, have been helpful to us in terms of bringing in extra shoppers.”
Whilst fellow Devonshire Quarter commercial property trader Yvonne McDonagh, of Plantology, said: “The increased footfall in the city centre could be down to more people living here-and many of them are students from China and Japan, who tend to spend quite a lot of money, which is good news for us.”
Mr Wright further added: “What is positive is the effort being put into major events like the Global Manufacturing Festival and the MADE entrepreneurs’ festival, which can only further improve these figures.”
The figures follow data from commercial property agents Knight Frank signifying that Sheffield is one of one of only four UK cities outside London and the South East to see take-up of commercial office space in 2011 ahead of the ten-year average.
Meanwhile, the project to regenerate The Moor shopping street in Sheffield has been signed off by the council. Sheffield City Council said the development would “breathe new life” into the city centre, transforming the area.
Site owner Scottish Widows said the first stage of the development may well start in the early part of summer. It is projected the development, which will be made up of a new indoor market and retail units, will be finished by the end of 2013.
