Showing just how big an occasion St Patrick’s Day (17 March) is, the event boosted the latest three-day (Saturday-Monday) UK retail footfall, which came in up 4.1% year-on-year in regional markets outside of London, according to MRI Software data.
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Total footfall was up 8.1% in all UK retail destinations compared to St Patrick’s Day last year.
Understandably, there was 51.9% footfall surge in Northern Ireland, by far the highest in the UK, as market towns also saw a 31.3% uplift.
The related holiday moving to a Monday this year, rather than falling on a Sunday in 2024, likely played a key role in this increase, the report said.
“For the first time in seven years, thousands of people lined the streets on Monday for St Patrick’s Day parades across towns and cities in Northern Ireland, “reinforcing the strong economic and social impact of the celebrations”, the report added.
The surge is also likely to have also been fuelled by major sporting events including the football Carabou Cup Final and the final day of the rugby Six Nations Championships.
“The combination of events, extended festivities, and major sporting occasions contributed to a strong weekend for UK retail and hospitality sectors, providing optimism for the year ahead”, MRI Software added.
