Positive start to 2023 for many North Yorkshire retailers
It's after new stats show footfall in December reached highest level since the pandemic
Shop owners in North Yorkshire say they're feeling optimistic after new stats show Christmas footfall was the highest since the pandemic began.
That's despite cold snap of weather and disruption to the rail network.
Sue Kramer runs Crown Jewellers in Harrogate and says it's also been a positive start to the New Year: "We're really pleased actually, you can never tell after Christmas what is going to happen and how busy you will be, but so far, so good."
Despite her optimism she says they'll need the support of local shoppers to help them through 2023: "It's a very challenging year coming forward, obviously the financial crisis, there is all the problems with the cost of heating, I think perhaps even more so than COVID it's a tricky time and a worrying time, but hopefully people will pull together."
Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium says: 'Footfall reached its highest level since the start of the pandemic in December. A combination of rail disruption and the cold snap kept many shoppers from visiting town centres and high streets in the last week before Christmas. Meanwhile, the postal strikes forced others to head in for the last week to secure last minute gifts in-store.
“Historically low consumer confidence and 30-year-high inflation made for an exceptionally difficult year for consumers and retailers, with footfall down over 10% on pre-pandemic levels. Nonetheless, this was still a significant improvement on the previous two years when the pandemic kept many people at home. Although retailers’ input costs show little sign of easing in 2023, they continue to do all they can to keep prices affordable and tempt customers in.'