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PRIVACY
Retail & Consumer

Concern for Sheffield businesses as city centre footfall stays low

The city's head of head of economic strategy has warned that the pandemic has had a major impact on retail and leisure businesses

Council chiefs are trying to encourage people back to Sheffield city centre as footfall remains at least a fifth lower than pre-Covid levels(Image: Copyright Unknown)

Council chiefs are trying to encourage people back to Sheffield city centre as footfall remains at least a fifth lower than pre-Covid levels.

Latest data shows there were 213,732 visitors to the city centre for the week commencing May 17.

This was up from 185,416 for the previous week as restrictions had eased, but it remains at least 20% lower than pre-pandemic levels.

The council has handed out more than £200m of grant funding while Business Sheffield has responded to 10,000 calls and provided 6,000 one to one advice sessions since March 2020.

At each step of the Government's roadmap, the council has distributed its Reopening Guide for Business to 8,000 businesses directly and via partners such as The Chamber, Sheffield Bid and Hoteliers Association.

Checklists have been produced and distributed, including translation into 10 different languages, to help businesses understand what is expected of them.

But the council warns consumer needs are changing and restoring confidence is critical.

In a report, Diana Buckley, head of economic strategy and commissioning, says: "Sectors that are most reliant on social interaction or deemed non-essential, such as retail, hospitality and culture, have faced prolonged closure and even as they reopen, continue to face reductions in demand, as consumer confidence takes time to return.