Rotherham Local Authority has been collecting footfall data with MRI OnLocation for Footfall Analytics since 2003, and continues to monitor this in the town centre.
Overview
Insight from the data collected has enabled Rotherham to strengthen retail and leisure offer, drive footfall and bring back customers lost to other shopping centres nearby.
Our Approach
Rotherham was facing an ongoing loss of customers to out of town shopping locations and needed to understand both the scale of the issue and the benefits of initiatives implemented by the Council to counteract the loss of trade.
Our Findings
As part of their physical regeneration programme, Rotherham installed MRI OnLocation’s counters in key locations across the town centre which have enabled them to review positive footfall trends in regenerated areas and generally across the town.
In addition to footfall throughout the town centre, Rotherham records vacancy rates and information on its retailer mix.
This information meant that it can present the facts, rather than what people think about the town centre – which has been useful for local stakeholders and potential investors or businesses looking to open stores in Rotherham.
MRI OnLocation’s data is used to benchmark Rotherham’s performance regionally and nationally, which has encouraged the Council and other partners to direct resources to further revitalise the town centre and its retailer offer.
The independently sourced footfall data for the town centre dates back to 2013, which Rotherham continues to use, along with retailer sales performance, basket size and spend to monitor sales conversions from investment and developments.
We’ve used the data to show how investments have made a difference in the regenerated areas both with retailer sales performance and increased footfall and attract a wider visitor demographic.
