上周，英国政府推出的“外出就餐帮助他人”计划引发了商业街和购物中心的客流激增，尤其是在晚上。7月初商家获准重新开业后，客流量一直很低。

The UK government’s eat out to help out scheme triggered a surge in the number of people visiting high streets and shopping malls last week, especially during the evenings.

 

Between Monday and Wednesday – the first days of the half-price meal offer – footfall rose 18.9% after 6pm across the UK’s high streets, shopping centres and retail parks, according to the retail analysts Springboard. The scheme also boosted visitor numbers between 12pm and 2pm, when they rose 9.6%.

 

Smaller market towns benefited the most, with footfall up 25% over the first three days of last week, while regional cities recorded a 19.2% gain.

Over last week as a whole, visitor numbers at high streets, malls and retail parks rose 3.8% from the week before. High streets did best, with footfall up 4.5%.

 

The figures suggest the scheme, which was launched by Rishi Sunak to help the struggling restaurant sector, has also benefited retailers, which have been equally hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The chancellor’s initiative offers a 50% discount, up to £10 per person, at participating venues during the month of August between Monday and Wednesday, typically the quietest days of the week. It got off to a roaring start last week, when queues formed outside many restaurants and cafes all over the UK. More than 72,000 establishments have signed up to the £500m scheme, ranging from independents to mainstream chains and Michelin-starred restaurants.

It is a much-needed boost for pubs, bars and restaurants as consumers had been slow to return after they were allowed to reopen in early July. All shops in England were able to reopen from mid-June after a three-month lockdown. This triggered a 45% surge in shopper numbers in the week starting 15 June on the previous week, according to Springboard, but footfall rises have been far more subdued since then.