Shoppers steer clear of high streets despite lockdown lifting

Number of visitors to UK retail destinations fell almost 40% in July from a year earlier

Shoppers continued to stay away from UK high streets last month despite the reopening of non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants following the lifting of lockdown measures.

The number of visitors to UK retail destinations dropped by 39.4% in July compared with the same month a year ago, according to figures from Springboard, a data company that tracks footfall at consumer hotspots.

Related: Shoppers shun high streets in England and Northern Ireland, data shows