Footfall consistent on Dublin's streets

Consumers may be spending less this Christmas but a new survey shows that shoppers are still pounding the streets of Dublin in search of bargains.

The CB Richard Ellis survey reveals footfall on the capital's busiest shopping streets has remained reliable despite a significant fall in retail sales.

The analysis, which measures the quantum of shoppers on both Grafton Street and Henry Street during peak shopping hours from October to December, indicates that footfall remains strong on both streets.

The property consultants' research shows that an average of over 20,800 people per hour shopped on Henry Street on Saturdays during the last quarter of the year, while approximately 21,200 persons per hour visited Grafton Street in the same period.

These figures are consistent with footfall over the last six years and are above the long-term average for both streets.

“Consumer confidence remains weak and discretionary spending has come under severe pressure in the last 18 months, which has had significant implications for the retail sector," said Marie Hunt, director of Research at CB Richard Ellis.

"Our latest pedestrian footfall analysis confirms that despite being more cautious about spending, shoppers are still visiting our capital’s prime shopping streets in high numbers," she added.