Ipswich Town Centre Visitor Numbers Decline by a Third

Data indicates that the number of visitors to a town centre has decreased by one-third over the last year. A report specifies that Ipswich recorded 679,077 visitors this year, a reduction from 949,995 visitors in 2023. The high street has seen the count of empty retail premises rise to nearly 100, up from 63 during the final quarter of the 2022-23 financial year. Neil McDonald, the Labour leader of the authority, is scheduled to present a report to the Ipswich Borough Council strategic overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday. This report aims to showcase the council’s achievement in relation to several of its objectives. Over recent years, Ipswich has experienced the departure of prominent retailers such as BHS, Debenhams, and Wilko. The report noted that the increasing number of empty units on high streets is a widespread trend across the UK, stating: “A change in buying habits, the impact of the pandemic and macro-economic issues mean that town centres need to move away from a reliance on retail and diversify the mix of uses on the high street.” The council, utilizing the Towns Fund and collaborating with partners, is endeavoring to introduce additional leisure, cultural, learning, and residential functions to the town centre, which is expected to decrease the quantity of vacant properties. Vacant premises have resulted in a £55,517 deficit in business rates, with the report indicating that structures such as the former crown court in Civic Drive and St Peters House in Grimwade Street accounted for most of these losses. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that the financial loss attributed to empty properties was nearly £15,000 greater than that of the preceding financial year. Despite the number of food and drink establishments remaining constant or growing, the total visitor count for the year was 679,077, according to the LDRS. Nevertheless, the authority achieved its goals and objectives in other sectors, such as assisting young individuals aged 16 to 24 in entering education, training, and employment. Furthermore, there was an increase in the average weekly wage, with employees earning £642, an improvement from £593.30 in the 2022/23 financial year.