The New West End Company (NWEC) reported a significant uptick in footfall across London’s West End during the holiday shopping season. The first large-scale, traffic-free event on Regent Street was an enormous success! It drew 33.7% more people than the year before. These dynamic live performances on Oxford Street attracted a record breaking crowd, increasing foot traffic by 25.1%. This incredible increase shows the tremendous impact special events can have for drawing in shoppers.
The NWEC’s data showed that footfall for the whole Black Friday week was 4.1% up. This was followed by another strong rebound the next week at 6.2%. To be clear, this encouraging trend began well before COVID. As of the week leading up to Black Friday, foot traffic is up by 9% compared to 2024 levels. This late surge of shopping activity continues to reflect increasing enthusiasm for holiday spending. More festive happenings are attracting record crowds to the region.
All of the action took place on the weekend of December 6th – 7th! Pedestrianisation efforts on Regent Street coincided beautifully with performances on Oxford Street. This perfect storm of factors has produced a tempting backdrop for consumers hunting down gifts and seasonal staples.
Rosie Hanley, the brand director at John Lewis, warned that this weekend will be crucial for any last-minute shoppers.
“This weekend we are still expecting one of our biggest weekends when people who have left it maybe to the last minute come in to buy presents and extra bedding and towels for guests.” – Rosie Hanley
That wave of visitors has hugely benefitted department stores such as John Lewis. The move has benefited Selfridges, one of the world’s great retail destinations located right across the street. Consumers indicated that they were looking forward to a full day of bricks-and-mortar shopping, with one woman even detailing her multi-stop itinerary.
“John Lewis for coffee, followed by Selfridges, and then we might have steak for lunch,” – one woman
Originally an American phenomenon, Black Friday has taken enormous hold in the UK over the last few years. Today, it’s become one of the biggest retail shopping days of the year. That’s why we see so many retailers today being proactive in creating a seamless customer experience. The NWEC’s results show that seasonal celebrations and vibrant, stimulating retail experiences really bring out the crowds — especially during those make-or-break holiday months.