Thriving Melton has bucked the UK trend

Figures have been released showing footfall in Melton has increased by nearly six per cent in the last year.

This is particularly impressive since footfall nationally has slumped by 1.4 per cent in towns and cities and it has also dropped in the East Midlands by 0.5 per cent.

Town centre manager Shelagh Core puts the healthy increase in Melton down to the range of events the town puts on throughout the year as well as its reputation as the rural capital of food.

“Footfall for the year to date up is up 5.8 per cent on the previous year,” she said.

“It is also interesting to see the comparison against 2015 and 2016, where footfall was significantly lower in the first part of the year, compared to this year.

“Then there has been a monthly increase from June until December, peaking at its highest with the Victorian Christmas weekend at the beginning of this month.”

Figures have been calculated using a Springboard Footfall Counter in the town’s Market Place, because it is a central location where many shoppers pass through and where events are held.

Melton enjoyed one of its busiest shopping days of the year earlier this month during the annual Christmas Victorian Fayre and switching on the of the festive lights.

A massive 26,683 visitors were in town on the Sunday of the fayre, which represented an increase in footfall by 313 per cent from the week before.

The peak hour for visitors on that day was from 11am, when 3,997 were shopping in Melton, many of them arriving on 36 coaches.

Mrs Core said footfall on Sundays had increased impressively in 2016 by almost 50 per cent.

She believes this is down to special events, such as last week’s Christmas shopping event for ‘blokes’, together with the attractive shopping mix Melton provides for visitors to the town.