Two million shoppers hit Birmingham
Visitor footfall has increased by almost a quarter (22 per cent) in Birmingham city centre over the last week, according to research from Retail Birmingham.
More than two million visitors came to the city in mid-November compared to a national average increase of just 4 per cent.
This meant a 22 per cent increase on last year's numbers.
Birmingham's Christmas Parade encouraged an additional 30,000 visitors to flock to the city centre, said the survey.
Jonathan Cheetham, chair of Retail Birmingham said he expected the numbers to increase dramatically as Christmas approaches.
"The city centre has fared extremely well when compared against the national average downturn in footfall, proving that the retail offer in the city is second to none," he said.
"Retail Birmingham has worked closely with Marketing Birmingham to contribute to a wide reaching 'Christmas in Birmingham' campaign to encourage those from outside the region to come and explore what the city centre has to offer. With so much exciting development in the pipeline, the opening of new stores and centres and an exciting programme of events during 2012, this booming Christmas season is set to start the New Year on the right footing."
