The latest Town Centre Visitor Report from Place Informatics, the UK’s leading authority on visitor behaviour analytics, reveals that while national town centre footfall has seen modest year-to-date growth, tourism-led destinations, particularly seaside towns, continue to outperform the trend. This reflects the ongoing impact of extreme heat in the Mediterranean, encouraging more British holidaymakers to choose domestic summer getaways.
Coastal locations dominated the top-performing towns in August, with seaside resorts seeing the highest year-on-year increases: St Annes (+7.99%), Lytham (+7.30%), Seaham (+5.81%), Cleveleys (+5.24%), Southend-on-Sea (+5.06%), Fleetwood (+4.41%), Great Yarmouth Town Centre (+4.32%), and East Wittering (+3.95%), underlining the continued importance of tourism to town centre vitality.
Top Town Centre Trends – August 2025
UK year-to-date footfall increased by +1.06%, showing modest growth nationally.
Tourist-focused seaside towns significantly outpaced the national average, demonstrating the draw of domestic summer destinations during periods of extreme Mediterranean heat.
Coastal and leisure-driven locations remain vital for sustaining town centre activity, with visitor numbers in these areas continuing to rise faster than broader trends.
Clive Hall, CEO of Place Informatics, commented, “Our August report confirms that UK seaside towns are leading the way in attracting visitors. With Mediterranean destinations experiencing extreme temperatures, domestic tourism is benefiting, and towns like St Annes are seeing exceptional growth. These figures reinforce the need for local councils and businesses to align strategies with seasonal tourism patterns to maximise footfall.”
As the UK moves into the autumn season, Place Informatics continues to provide local authorities, BIDs, and businesses with actionable insights to help harness tourism, boost visitor numbers, and strengthen long-term town centre resilience.
To access the full August 2025 Town Centre Visitor Report, visit www.placeinformatics.com
