Black Friday weekend West End footfall to rise 9%

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 25, 2019

Black Friday Weekend should see footfall in London’s West End increasing 9% with spending reaching £164 million during the period, according to a new prediction from the New West End Company.

It said that although the multi-year trend of declining footfall on Black Friday “is expected to continue due to low consumer confidence within the UK, shopper excitement around Black Friday is set to peak [and] high levels of tourism in London’s West End during the run up to Christmas will also help boost sales in the area.”

Another factor boosting tourist spend in the neighbourhood will be the low value of the pound, which is down 4.5% from March highs and which has been driving visitors to the capital all year.

But while tourist flows to the area have been continuing, it has nonetheless been “a difficult summer for West End retailers,” NWEC said and so Black Friday’s success will be crucial.

Of course, the West End isn’t only about tourists, as it’s also a magnet for UK shoppers and the fact that Black Friday coincides with pay-day this month could also provide a significant footfall boost, NWEC said.

Henry Gregg, Director of External Affairs at NWEC, said: “Black Friday continues to be a significant moment on the calendar for domestic and international shoppers who are set to spend big in order to make the most of discounts”.

He said that the area will benefit from “West End-only” discounts and its “stature within the retail market,” even in the face of a season that’s increasingly moving online.