Hereford was one of the best performing cities in the UK for footfall recovery during the summer, according to research from Place Informatics, a UK-based footfall specialist.
The locations examined were specifically those with Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), covering 260 towns and cities across the United Kingdom, with the purpose of showing those that had recovered the strongest compared to 2019, during the month of July. Hereford was in 8th place with Newquay coming 1st.
Mike Truelove, CEO for the Hereford BID commented, ‘we are thrilled to see Hereford is pulling in both visitors and local shoppers who recognise the city not just as an attractive destination to enjoy and explore, but also one that has an exceedingly good range of big names and independents that make Hereford such a big pull. In combination with marketing from Visit Herefordshire and Eat Sleep Live, the Hereford Business Improvement District is putting Hereford on the map and shouting from the rooftops about the region’s charms – the call is being heard loud and clear.’
Across the country, the impact of COVID had remained an influence on many High Streets but has now been taken over by the cost-of-living crisis. Most UK locations are down in footfall for July than in 2019. Mike added, ‘whilst this really is superb news, it is sadly yesterday’s news, and current footfall is plateauing in all regions, including Hereford. it is important to realise however, that our city is rising in the ranks of popularity as a destination of choice. In combination with good marketing and the projects the Hereford BID are delivering, such as our ‘dinosaur day’, all the ingredients are there for success. However, we should acknowledge it is incredibly hard out there for both local businesses and consumers, so it has never been more important to buy local whenever you can and to continue to support each other’.
For more information about the Hereford BID, please visit www.herefordbid.co.uk.
Hereford BID is a non-profit private company (limited) funded by 500 businesses in the city centre. The organisation has 3 core strands underpinning its business plan, a document based on feedback from its member businesses on what they want to see happen, these are: i) High Profile Hereford – Marketing and Events ii) The Hereford Experience – Safe and Clean iii) Business Voice – Lobbying & Support. The company is run by up to 15 board directors who are also levy paying members.
