Newbury shoppers, where have they gone? Options

[Andy Capp]

I presume this is a national trend and not just local. It would seem that after an initial high of around 30% increase in footfall when Parkway opened, footfall has dropped back to where is was pre-Parkway development.

Link to PDF report: West_Berkshire_Town_Centre_Footfall.pdf


A word to creators of reports like these, and this is not the only one, bloody well put what the figures actually represent: 24,000 over how long? Since the last entry; everyday, week , month?

[dannyboy]

To make any judgement, there needs to be more post PW figures.

[Andy Capp]

To make any judgement, there needs to be more post PW figures.

Well October is pretty new, and I'm sure more will come, but it doesn't look good at the moment. I hear at least one major retail outlet in the centre is frustrated by the current level. While there was bound to be a surge in interest, I think it is reasonable to consider the 27,000 peak to be the potential maximum.

[dannyboy]

Well October is pretty new, and I'm sure more will come, but it doesn't look good at the moment. I hear at least one major retail outlet in the centre is frustrated by the current level. While there was bound to be a surge in interest, I think it is reasonable to consider the 27,000 peak to be the potential maximum.

Retailing does not look good at all at the moment, in any traditional form - we are still in a rather large depression. It would be interesting to know what the figures would have been withour PW, but that would be just pure conjecture.

if PW has slowed or halted a bigger fall, then the retailers should be happy.

[Andy Capp]

Retailing does not look good at all at the moment, in any traditional form - we are still in a rather large depression. It would be interesting to know what the figures would have been withour PW, but that would be just pure conjecture.

if PW has slowed or halted a bigger fall, then the retailers should be happy.

I was about to post the exact same thing. My feelings are that Parkway has held up the figures, and that it would be worse without. The argument against that is that there was a big peek, which I still maintain should be the aspiration figure.

[dannyboy]

I was about to post the exact same thing. My feelings are that Parkway has held up the figures, and that it would be worse without. The argument against that is that there was a big peek, which I still maintain should be the aspiration figure.

Once we are back on the boom instead of bust, 30k should be attainable.

Footfall is only a measure of people in a town - what is more important is the spending figures. 27k just comming to have a look is no use to a retailer. If that additional 3k were just curious, then they are no great loss.

[Andy Capp]

Once we are back on the boom instead of bust, 30k should be attainable.

Footfall is only a measure of people in a town - what is more important is the spending figures. 27k just comming to have a look is no use to a retailer. If that additional 3k were just curious, then they are no great loss.

Of course that is true, but footfall is the measuring device retailers use, and like I said, I heard at least one Parkway outlet is disappointed with the figures. I was never going to be a typical Parkway user, but like Penelope, I was disappointed with the development.

The things I don't like: getting there and back out is a chore (the Robin Hood Giratory). Parking charges were an issue, although that has been addressed somewhat, and it is open air. I believe shopping peaks in the 'dark months' when the weather is usually poor.