Regional appeal drives footfall

Data published by Shrewsbury BID paints presents a mainly positive picture of the Christmas trading period in Shrewsbury, with the busiest footfall since 2019 recorded in the lead up to the big day. 

While cost of living pressures and tightening business profit margins continue to pose challenges for the year ahead, footfall data and business feedback highlight the town’s growing strength as a regional destination.  

According to Beauclair data, debit card sales in Shrewsbury totalled £14.9 million in December 2025, representing a slight decrease from December 2024 but outperforming the GB benchmark. 

Analysis suggests the decline was largely driven by a -3.3% reduction in average revenue per customer, alongside a +0.3% increase in customer numbers. This suggests strong levels of engagement and visitor activity, but more cautious consumer spending. 

As credit card and cash spend is not recorded by Beauclair, the BID understands these spend figures will not represent the full picture, with a proportion of spending typically shifting to credit cards during the festive period. 

For the full year 2025, offline debit card spend totalled £132 million, down -0.6% on 2024, compared the GB benchmark of -3.3%. 

With 262,937 visits to the town centre counted by footfall cameras on High Street and Pride Hill, it was the busiest December since 2019, before the COVID pandemic began. This figure also represents a +15% increase compared to December 2024 – compared to a footfall increase of around +2% in town centres nationally.  

But while sales remained broadly positive, Shrewsbury BID noted that profit margins remain under intense pressure, with rising costs continuing to impact businesses despite increased visitor numbers.  

Visit Shrewsbury BID's Data Hub