Halifax high street among top town centres bouncing back after lockdown

The highstreets bouncing back report carried out by card payments specialist takepayments Limited analysed card transaction data to reveal the highstreets that are bouncing back and those that are struggling following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Halifax highstreet is the second most thriving highstreet in the UK post lockdown

The report reveals Bromley highstreet as the most thriving highstreet post lockdown with an average increase of 20% in transactions across both dates of easing of lockdown restrictions.

Halifax follows behind Bromley with an average increase of transactions of sixteen percent since restrictions were lifted.

Highstreets that are located within commuter towns such as Bromley and Halifax are recovering from the lockdown much quicker as the working from home trend continues, resulting in those that would usually work from city centres opting to shop local according to the data.

Sandra Rowley at takepayments Limited said: ”Throughout the pandemic businesses which are located on city highstreets have battled to survive due to a staggering decline in footfall as the government enforced it’s stay home message. In contrast to this, businesses that are situated in more rural areas such as towns and villages have thrived as shoppers adapted to shopping local.

"Our data reveals that despite non-essential retail opening and indoor hospitality unlocking, highstreets that rely heavily on highstreet footfall, in particularly that of office workers have continued to struggle with areas such as Central London seeing a decline of almost one third in transactions since lockdown was lifted, while areas such as Halifax and Huddersfield continue to thrive while commuters continue to work from home.

"As the final phase of lockdown restrictions are lifted on July 19th and government will no longer advise people to work from home, businesses that rely on highstreet footfall will breathe a sigh of relief as it’s predicted commuters will start to make more frequent journeys and footfall will finally increase.”

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