London's West End sees increased festive footfall

Footfall in London's West End reached its highest level since 2020 over the 2025 festive season, new figures show.

The Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA) said visitor numbers in December were up 19% on the same month in 2024 across its central London district.

The area, which includes Piccadilly, Leicester Square and Haymarket, also recorded longer visits, with people staying an average of 42 minutes more than in December 2024.

The alliance said the figures showed a strong recovery from the Covid pandemic and highlighted the growing importance of the West End's "experience economy".

According to the data, footfall during December 2025 was 20% above the average recorded between 2022 and 2024. Between 15 and 29 December, visits were 35% higher than the post-pandemic average.

The average dwell time across the area rose to two hours and 38 minutes, with the biggest increases seen on Sundays and Mondays.

Although the HOLBA area accounts for about 12% of the wider West End, it contributes more than £12.8bn to the UK economy, supports more than 117,000 jobs and attracts about 83 million visitors a year, the body said.

Its deputy chief executive, Mark Williams, said: "Today's figures show that London's West End continues to outperform national trends, with visitor numbers on the rise.

"This underscores its appeal as a global destination and the power of the experience economy in attracting people to the area."

He said that despite the success, there were pressures from rising business rates and operating costs.

Simon Thomas, executive chairman at The Hippodrome Casino, said the festive period had demonstrated continued confidence in central London.

"What matters most is the bigger picture though," he said.

"This peak period showed that, even in challenging times, the West End remains one of the capital's great economic and cultural engines."

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