West End bucks Christmas shopping trend as foot traffic rises during Black Friday week

London's West End bucked the national trend as foot traffic rose during the Black Friday period, according to data from the New West End Company (NWEC). In the week before Black Friday, the fourth Friday of November, footfall was up 9% on 2024. Across Black Friday week, it was up 4.1%, and the following week rose 6.2%. The NWEC described the period as showing "real momentum" for central London retail. By contrast, the Office for National Statistics said retail sales fell unexpectedly in November, underscoring a divergence between central London shopping patterns and the wider economy.

The NWEC said the traffic-free event on Regent Street boosted footfall by 33.7% compared with the year before, and the following day of live performances on Oxford Street increased it by 25.1%. Both events featured on-street festive activations and in-store offers and experiences, drawing crowds and causing footfall to surge by nearly a third across the weekend, the spokesperson said. On Oxford Street, one shopper described a planned route for the day: "John Lewis for coffee, followed by Selfridges, and then we might have steak for lunch." The couple’s day, she added, would be punctuated by conversations and shopping.

Rosie Hanley, brand director at John Lewis, said: "This weekend we are still expecting one of our biggest weekends when people who have left it maybe to the last minute come in to buy presents and extra bedding and towels for guests." Other shoppers echoed the sense of urgency, with one BBC interviewee noting that many had already completed most of their Christmas shopping earlier in the month. "Not last minute at all," one man said, while another remarked that he preferred to wait until the week before Christmas "to get into the spirit"—but still planned to finish everything in one department store visit.

The Black Friday period in London comes as the idea of the holiday shopping weekend has become ingrained in the UK. Black Friday originated in the United States and has been widely adopted by retailers here, expanding beyond a single day into a broader shopping season that many regard as the unofficial start of Christmas shopping. The West End's performance-driven weekend — with pedestrianised streets and live entertainment — helped sustain crowds even as national retail data showed softer sales elsewhere.

Analysts noted that the West End’s strong footfall aligns with a broader shift toward experiential shopping and centralized, multi-store visits that combine dining, coffee, and entertainment with purchasing power. While the national figures show a mixed picture, central London’s flagship retailers have benefited from the sustained influx of visitors, especially during key shopping moments and festive events.