Positively Putney Survey Shows 70% of Shoppers Arrive by Foot

Traffic and empty units main complaint about the High Street

Picture: Putney Bid

February 9, 2024

A survey held by Positively Putney during January has given a new insight into how and why people come into the centre of town.

It asked people to respond to a questionnaire last month and over 708 people completed it.

The aim was to get a better understanding of the needs of visitors to Putney High Street and surrounding shopping areas to ensure that the organisation, which is funded by businesses to improve the trading environment of the town centre, is focused in the right areas.

The survey revealed that 83% of respondents lived in the SW15 area and that 75% had visited the town centre within a week before completing the survey which indicates that most shoppers are regular local users.

70% walked, followed by 11% coming by car and 9% by bus. Train and tube had 7% combined, cycling made up 3% of shoppers and just one person said they came to Putney by Uber boat.

34% visited between 8am and midday, 44% between midday and 4pm and 19% between 4pm and 8pm. Only a small proportion of those who completed the survey visited before 8am or after 8pm. The age breakdown was well split across all age categories above 25 years.

Shopping for groceries was the top reason for visiting, followed by non-food shopping and then exercise or a visit to the gym was the third most popular reason for coming into town.

Source: Positively Putney

Overall, 63% of respondents rated the town centre offering was average or better but the main gripes were traffic issues and the number of vacant units. Strengths were seen as the riverside location and excellent transport links.

Positively Putney says these are two complex issues that require multiple stakeholders to work together to make a change. It expressed pessimism that Hammersmith Bridge would ever reopen and said that it will work with partners to reduce the amount of traffic coming down the High Street to get into central London.

Source: Positively Putney

On the issue of vacant units, Positively Putney says, “We regularly speak to landlords with vacant units to understand why they are not occupied. It is a combination of various reasons; high business rates, expensive rent prices, pension pot properties and awaiting development. This is frustrating and we will continue to put pressure on the landlords to consider meanwhile uses whilst they are waiting for their big plans and encourage them that maybe now is the time to drop rents.”

The BID points out that the Marks and Spencer site, which was frequently mentioned by respondents, is problematic because the retailer is still paying rent despite shutting its store giving the landlord no incentive to find a new tenant. However, the good news is that M&S has told Positively Putney that it wants to return to Putney and is actively looking for a new site.

Shoppers often said they wanted a higher proportion of retailers but Positively Putney believes that national retailers are reducing the number of branches they have and the current trading conditions are really challenging for independents. It says that many of the latter are telling them they are struggling as customers switch to using the internet adding, “we ask you all to think again when quickly ordering something on your phone whether a business within Putney could actually help.”

When asked about their favourite businesses in the area, 149 different names were mentioned with Waitrose coming out top with 106 mentions followed by Physical Culture Gym based in the arches on Winthorpe Road. In joint third position was Waterstones and Blabar.