Visitors to Ealing down less than national average despite credit crunch (From Ealing Times)

Visitors to Ealing down less than national average despite credit crunch

5:40pm Wednesday 12th November 2008

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THE impact of a new mega mall on shopping in Ealing has been less than feared by business leaders.

Figures from footfall cameras show the number of people passing through the town centre has dropped by 7.4 per cent, compared to a national average of 11.8 per cent.

The figures show the impact of the new Westfield Shopping centre in Shepherds Bush may not be as severe as was feared on traders.

Steve Breen, the director of the Ealing Broadway business improvement district (BID) said: “The cameras can't differentiate between individuals passing backwards and forwards, but they seem to show numbers aren't as far down as had been feared.

“While we are seeing a drop in numbers the actual drop isn't as bad as most other places across the country.”

The two cameras which are placed at head-height in two spots in the town centre recorded 190,624 people passing by during the week beginning Monday, November 3.

This was down from 205,823 on this time last year.

Mr Breen continued: “t is still early days yet. I went to Westfield in its first week of trading and it was clear there were a lot of people there to do sightseeing rather than serious shopping.”

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