Monthly Footfall Overview: March 2025

Visitor numbers surged in March thanks to the arrival of warmer weather

07/04/2025

Following our investment in Micro Location insights via O2/Virgin Media, two sensors have been installed on Victoria Street and Park Street, allowing us to better understand footfall trends across the city.

March saw a significant increase in visitor activity across two of Bristol’s key streets. With three extra days in the month compared to February, a natural 10% rise in footfall was expected. However, the warmer weather also played a key role, encouraging more people to get out and explore the city. The later end of March also saw St Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Eid take place, likely contributing to a further rise in visitor numbers.

 

PARK STREET

 

OVERALL TRENDS

There was a 100% increase in visits from February to March. This was due to both an increase in days and thanks to higher temperatures. March also saw a 49% increase in visitors, indicating that on average, people visited Park Street more times per month than in February. The daily average footfall was 17,050, up 81% from 9,437 in February. Several key trends emerged:

  • Weekend impact: Weekends had a strong impact on footfall trends, as the highest three days for footfall occurred on Saturdays throughout the month.
  • Warmer weather: Warmer weather was also a key contributing factor, with an average daytime temperature of 10°C in March compared to 8°C in February. Thursday 20 March was the fourth highest day for footfall, where temperatures reached 18°C.

 

VISITOR DEMOGRAPHICS & BEHAVIOUR

  • A higher percentage of visitors were aged 18-64 compared to the national average, while fewer were 65+.
  • The most popular time to visit Park Street was 1-6pm on Saturdays. 22% of all visits were made on Saturdays, despite Saturdays only accounting for 16% of the month.
  • ‘Out of area’ visitors (those visiting rather than working or residing nearby) made up 70% of visits, up slightly from 69% in February.
  • The average dwell time was just under 26 minutes, similar to February.
  • 46% of visitors were female, compared to 51% nationally.

 

SPENDING POWER & TRAVEL PATTERNS

  • A higher percentage of visitors were aged 18-64 compared to the national average, while fewer were 65+.
  • The most popular time to visit Park Street was 1-6pm on Saturdays. 22% of all visits were made on Saturdays, despite Saturdays only accounting for 16% of the month.
  • ‘Out of area’ visitors (those visiting rather than working or residing nearby) made up 70% of visits, up slightly from 69% in February.
  • The average dwell time was just under 26 minutes, similar to February.
  • 46% of visitors were female, compared to 51% nationally.

 

VICTORIA STREET

 

OVERALL TRENDS

Victoria Street experienced a 182% increase in footfall from February to March, due to extra days and warmer weather. March also saw a 143% increase in visitors, showing that on average, people visited Victoria Street more times per month than in February. The daily average footfall was 4,466, up 160% from 1,715 in February. Higher temperatures had a significant impact:

  • Warmer weather: The highest days for footfall occurred between 20 to 22 March, with the highest day being Thursday 20 March. The average temperature on this day was 18°C.
  • Impact on late March: The second half of the month, from 18 March onwards, saw an influx of visitors compared to the previous half. From this point, warmer temperatures were more consistent. The daily average footfall from this point was 8,064, highlighting how the warmer weather likely encouraged people to get outside and use Victoria Street to access nearby areas like Castle Park and the Harbourside.

VISITOR DEMOGRAPHICS & BEHAVIOUR

  • A higher percentage of visitors were aged 18-54 compared to the national average, while fewer were 55+.
  • The most popular time to visit Victoria Street was 2-5pm on Saturdays. 18% of overall visits and 20% of ‘out of area’ visits (those visiting rather than working or residing nearby) were made on Saturdays despite only accounting for 16% of the month.
  • ‘Out of area’ visitors made up 86% of visits made on Saturdays and 76% of visits across the month, showing that people who don’t live or work on Victoria Street are more likely to visit on the weekends.
  • The average dwell time was 33 minutes, compared to 39 minutes in February.
  • 44% of visitors were female, compared to 51% nationally.

SPENDING POWER & TRAVEL PATTERNS 

  • Compared to the UK average, Victoria Street attracted a larger proportion of visitors with ‘high’ or ‘very high’ spend power.
  • Compared to February, the proportion of visitors with ‘high’ or ‘very high’ spend power was also higher in March.
  • 70% of visitors made 1 visit, 26% made 2-5 visits, 3% made 6-10 visits, and 1% made 11+ visits.
  • The BS4 postcode attracted the highest number of visitors, followed by BS5.
  • 63% of visitors to Victoria Street came from the Bristol area compared to 70% in February. 6% came from Bath postcodes, and 2% from both Gloucester and Cardiff postcodes.
  • Spain was the top country for international visitors.

 

The warmer weather in March led to a notable increase in footfall across the city, with Victoria Street seeing a particularly strong surge toward the end of the month. Sunny conditions combined with seasonal events successfully encouraged more people to explore the city.

Our Footfall & Insights pages are updated weekly with the latest footfall data. Please refer to our Reports & Resources section for a snapshot overview of footfall in our Monthly Visitor Reports and an overview of spend behaviours in our Quarterly Spend Reports. 

The expanded footfall data can be viewed through our online dashboard for more effective and informed decision making. Please get in touch if you would like more information.

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