16th January 2017: Final footfall statistics for 2016 show that more shoppers and visitors came into Luton town centre than the previous year, with overall figures well above the national average.
Luton Business Improvement District (BID) monitors visitor numbers through specialised cameras which are jointly funded with Luton Borough Council and positioned in key areas around the town centre.
The cameras confirm that Luton town centre footfall was up in 2016 by 2.2% against 2015, comparing favourably against the UK average which dropped by -1.1%. The South East alone saw an average decrease of -3%.
While the summer months from late June to the end of August showed some of the biggest increase in visitor numbers over the year, the footfall statistics in early December proved most impressive with a rise of over 25%.
The final figures come as the BID celebrates the success of its recent Christmas campaign which included various initiatives to drive more shoppers into the town centre over the festive period.
PAW Patrol characters appearing at the town centre lights switch-on, the giant Christmas tree on St George’s Square, Christmas-themed Luton Live entertainment and the Golden Ticket prize draw which awarded £4,000 of town centre shopping vouchers were among the festive events and activities organised and funded by the BID. The family skating rink and vintage carousel also increased footfall numbers over Christmas and were enjoyed by over 1,000 people.
Chad Sonara, director of Luton BID and store manager of Luton town centre’s Debenhams, said: “We are delighted with these impressive footfall figures. We work very hard to ensure the town centre offers an attractive and appealing experience for visitors and workers in Luton town centre, not just at Christmas but all year round. For footfall numbers to be up by 2.2% against 2015 is very positive news for Luton town centre businesses, especially considering the decline shown in many town centre locations in the UK.”
The Luton town centre footfall statistics are collated by independent data specialists Springboard. Cameras are positioned in Park Street, Manchester Street, Bute Street and George Street.
For more information on Luton BID and its various events and initiatives throughout the town centre, please visit the BID website www.lutontowncentre.org or contact a member of the BID team by calling 01582 510657 or emailing info@lutonbid.org