After a dramatic decrease in footfall, Leeds City Council is urging residents to return to the city centre for some retail therapy.
The council is stepping in after findings from Centre for Cities showed that footfall is still not reaching nearly half of pre-lockdown levels, even with hundreds of businesses reopening in the centre.
These findings showed that 45 per cent of those visiting came from outside Leeds, compared to 63 per cent before lockdown, and that there was an even more drastic decrease in city centre workers from outside the city (now 38 per cent, 63 per cent before lockdown).
The city is just outside the top 10 worst performing city centres recovering from lockdown in the UK, although there has been a slight increase since April, when there was a 90 per cent decrease in people visiting.
Cllr Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “We have all faced exceptional challenges over the past months and, like many businesses, shops and shopping centres across the city are still suffering.
"The retail offer in Leeds is really special, from our spectacular Victorian Arcades and markets to our buzzing streets full of independent shops out in our neighbourhoods. The retailers that help to make Leeds great need your support now more than ever.
"If you are able to, I urge you to please support them, both in the city centre and in your local neighbourhood.
"Remember to shop safely, wearing a face covering unless you are exempt.”
This urgent plea follows a sharp rise in coronavirus infections in several "clusters" around the city, with the council urgently monitoring Kirkstall and Harehills after noticeable increases in both areas.
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