Inflation and tight budgets didn't prevent a rise in the number of people venturing onto the high street in the run up to Christmas, according to industry figures.
Data released today by the British Retail Consortium for the three months to January show footfall rose by 1.8 per cent year-on-year. This was a rebound from the previous three months, when the figure fell by 2.3 per cent.
Shops in all locations benefited from the festive cheer, especially out-of-town sites, which saw footfall increase by 3.1 per cent from 2010. Shopping centres saw a rise of 0.8 per cent, while the UK's high streets experienced a 1.4 per cent increase.
The BRC said a "strong Christmas" was behind the results, with December's figures also flattered by poor results 12 months earlier when sales were hindered by bad weather conditions.
Diane Wehrle, research director at data analysis firm Springboard, suggested that consumers had turned increasingly to out-of-town shopping centres in a bid to avoid car parking charges in town and city centres. However, she also highlighted the success high street businesses had enjoyed during the period, especially their "robust performance" in the lead up to Christmas.
Wehrle said: "This is testament to the success of town centres in attracting trade during cold weather when customers often gravitate towards a covered shopping environment."