The latest 2025 Town Centre Visitor Report from Place Informatics, the UK’s leading authority on visitor behaviour analytics, reveals that while national footfall growth has eased slightly since April, London has surged ahead-recording growth of more than double the UK average.
According to the report, average UK footfall increased by 1.79% year-on-year in May, a slowdown from the +3.92% growth recorded in April, but still indicative of a continued positive trend for 2025. This suggests that despite some month-to-month variation, town centres are maintaining momentum as consumer confidence gradually returns. London recorded a strong +3.57% increase, outperforming all other regions and highlighting the capital’s ongoing resilience and its ability to consistently attract high volumes of visitors, thanks to its mix of retail, culture, and leisure offerings.
Top town centre trends – May 2025
- London tops the regional growth chart at +3.57% YoY, followed by the South East (+2.88%), Scotland (+2.58%), and East Anglia (+2.24%).
- Modest growth was seen in Wales (+1.23%), North West (+1.10%), and North East (+0.97%), while the South West (+0.07%) and Northern Ireland (+0.42%) saw marginal increases.
- The UK’s year-to-date footfall now stands at +1.72%, indicating continued recovery momentum as high streets respond to improving weather and increased consumer activity.
London’s dominance in town centre footfall growth is clear in the latest rankings, with the top five performing town centres all located in Greater London. Hampton Hill (+5.99%), Stepney (+5.98%), Tolworth (+5.90%), Poplar (+5.87%), and Catford (+5.85%) lead the list, closely followed by other London districts including Oxford Street, Southfields, South Kensington, Burnt Oak, and Upminster—all recording year-on-year growth above 5.7%. This concentration of high-performing locations highlights the capital’s continued strength in attracting and sustaining visitor activity.
This continued London-led growth suggests that urban centres offering a well-balanced mix of retail, food, lifestyle amenities, and strong transport connectivity are proving especially resilient in the face of changing consumer behaviours. As visitors seek more integrated, flexible experiences, areas that combine shopping with cafés, outdoor dining, cultural attractions, and walkable environments are becoming increasingly attractive. The recent rise in temperatures and longer daylight hours are further encouraging people to spend time in open-air spaces, boosting footfall in districts that can offer both convenience and leisure. London’s high-performing centres exemplify how this combination of factors is driving consistent visitor engagement and economic activity.
Clive Hall, CEO of Place Informatics, commented,
“While overall UK growth has slowed slightly since April, London’s continued rise shows how centres can thrive when supported by mixed-use appeal and strong local engagement. Our data gives councils, BIDs, and local businesses the tools they need to track these shifts and plan effectively for the months ahead.”
As town centres look towards the summer months and beyond, Place Informatics remains committed to helping local authorities and businesses harness the power of data-driven insights to make more informed decisions and support long-term recovery.
