Figures released today, under Freedom of Information rules, reveal that 4% fewer shoppers visited the York City centre in August compared to the same month last year.
“Footfall” numbers in Parliament Street. click to enlarge
The blame for the reduction is being attributed to the bungled introduction of new traffic regulations on Lendal Bridge and in Coppergate.
The news comes at a time when visitor attractions were reporting an increase in the numbers using their facilities earlier in the year
In the period up to August a 16% increase was recorded.
This was partly put down to special events like the Mallard 75 celebration as well as the opening of the new York Minster revealed axhibition.
The expectations had been that a recovering national economy – coupled with good weather – would lead to a bumper August; but those hopes seem to have been dashed.
Cameras, that measure the numbers of people on Parliament Street, recorded a drop in “footfall” from a monthly total of 780,646 in 2012 to 746,349 this year
Figures for September and early October are due to are published next week.
Many are forecasting a further decline.
Over 5000 visitors will have received penalty charge notices in September and word of mouth is likely to have resulted in further reputational damage for the City.
More may choose to shun the central area.
There are, however, some hopes that special events like the Food Festival might partly counter the decline.
Earlier in the week the Council was reported as having ordered additional footfall cameras.