Many reports are suggesting that footfall is on a downward spiral for shops on the high street and in retail parks in 2025, as an economic downturn looms.
This trend was expected to continue with Black Friday, many were forecasting record highs in online shopping, but slight drops in foot traffic and in store purchases were expected. Sensormatic Solutions reported a 3% drop in UK in-store footfall on Black Friday this year compared to the year prior.
However, for a store in Eccles, this was not the case. Tyler Holt, Software Expert at Smyths Toys in Eccles says the store was “the busiest I’ve ever seen it in 5 years”
Electronics, toys and games tend to be the most sought after on Black Friday, 3 things that are all sold at Smyths Toys. Tyler believes that the reason Smyths gets so busy during Black Friday and the holiday season in general is due to it’s lack of similar businesses in the area. The Smyths store sits at West One retail park in Eccles, and is one of the few stores of its kind in the local area – as this map shows
Tyler says in his 5 years working at Smyths in 2 different locations, he’s never seen a Black Friday quite like Black Friday 2025. It seems despite the cost-of-living crisis and expected drop in spending, the local community have flocked on mass to Eccles to make the most of the prices slashes and bargains.
Local shops getting busier and busier despite the economic climate paves the way for growth in Salford and Eccles amid trying financial times, and potentially a light at the end of the tunnel for many who believed retail parks and high street shops were slowly dying in the local area with the continued rise of online purchasing through sites like Amazon and Argos.