Doncaster city centre footfall above target despite national concerns

Doncaster Council’s Finance and Performance Improvement Report for Q3 of 2023-4 found that footfall figures in the city centre remain 6.7 percent above target.

It comes as footfall in city centres across the country has declined as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

December saw the largest footfall of the year, with the Frost Festival and Penguin Trail cited as factors towards this.

The final week before Christmas saw a 15.2 percent increase in footfall compared to the same week in 2022, demonstrating that figures are on the rise.

Doncaster’s footfall during that week was 1.4 percent above the national average.

Last November, Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones discussed the council’s urban centre masterplan, which aims to increase footfall further.

The plan will see an increase in city centre living, leisure, culture and education, while retail will become less significant.