Latest Centre for Cities’ data shows the high street’s recovery may be stuttering

  • Visitor footfall to city and town centres across the UK drops in June after initial surge– with tourist hubs worse hit
  • Weekend visitors to Blackpool and Bournemouth almost halve in June
  • Big city centres continue to struggle with London seeing the weakest recovery of all centres

New data from Centre for Cities’ High Streets Recovery Tracker shows that the recovery of high streets stuttered in June as footfall fell back across the UK – raising concerns about the UK economy’s bounce-back from Covid restrictions.

Seaside and tourist destinations saw the sharpest drops in visitor numbers between the end of May and end of June, with visitors to central Blackpool and Bournemouth falling by by almost half.

Meanwhile, weekend visitors to other tourist destinations such as Brighton, York and Edinburgh also fell steeply.

Overall weekly footfall numbers fell by the end of June in 62 of the 63 city and town centres studied. On average, overall footfall in large city and town centres fell by seven percentage points.

City or large town(selected seaside and tourist destinations)Weekend footfall Fall in footfall from last weekend of May to last weekend of June (percentage point)Weekly footfallOverall fall in footfall from end of May to end of June (percentage point) 
Blackpool-45-18
Bournemouth-45-15
Brighton-39-16
Southend-36-12
York-28-14
Portsmouth-25-12
Oxford-23-10

Pubs, bars and restaurants are also likely to have taken an economic hit as night-time visitors to city and town centres fell by six percentage points between the last weekend of May and last weekend of June.

Despite the fall, small and medium city and town centres continue to have seen the strongest recovery overall since restrictions were lifted, while bigger cities continue to struggle.

Southend, Blackpool and Basildon have come back strongest, with footfall being more than 70 per cent of February 2020 levels but London and other large city centres lag a long way behind – footfall in the centre of the capital was at just under a third of February 2020 levels.

RankCity or large townOverall footfall recovery in last week of June (February 2020 = 100)
Top 10
1Southend81
2Blackpool77
3Basildon72
4Chatham72
5Burnley72
6Aldershot71
7Mansfield69
8Gloucester68
9Wigan68
10Barnsley67
Bottom 10
54Milton Keynes50
55Liverpool50
56Nottingham49
57Aberdeen48
58Cardiff46
59Leeds46
60Glasgow43
61Manchester41
62Birmingham41
63London33

Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “Much discussion in the lead up to restrictions being lifted was about the amount of pent up demand that lockdowns had created, and the likely splurge in spending as a result. But while there was an initial jump, the data suggests this may have faltered.

“The weather and growing Covid-19 cases may be reasons for this, but with the end of the furlough scheme is in sight, high street businesses and workers will be hoping that the removal of restrictions on 19th July will help to sustain the high street’s recovery and bring more people back to the centre of our cities.”

Biggest flu programme in history to roll out for winter 2021

Free seasonal flu vaccine to be made available for over 35 million people this year

  • Millions more people could benefit from a free flu vaccine this year, as the Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid announces the most comprehensive flu vaccination programme in UK history today
  • School programme expanded to provide flu vaccine to all secondary school pupils up to Year 11
  • Expanded programme follows record 19 million seasonal flu jabs administered in winter 2020

From September 2021, providers will offer the flu vaccine to over 35 million people during the upcoming winter season, including all secondary school students up to Year 11 for the first time. This builds on the success of last year’s expanded flu programme, which saw a record number of people get their jab.

Last year, 4 in 5 (80.9%) people aged 65 and over in England received their flu vaccine – exceeding the World Health Organization uptake ambition of 75%.

Working with the NHS, the government is preparing to deliver the expanded flu programme alongside any booster programme for COVID-19 vaccines as part of wider autumn and winter planning, which centres around protecting as many lives as possible.

During the 2021/22 season, which starts in September, the flu jab will be available to:

  • all children aged two and three on 31 August 2021
  • all children in primary school and all children in school Years 7 to 11 in secondary school
  • those aged six months to under 50 years in clinical risk groups
  • pregnant women
  • those aged 50 years and over
  • unpaid carers
  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • frontline health and adult social care staff

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: Flu can be a serious illness and we want to build a wall of protection by immunising a record number of people.

“With the nation getting closer to normal life, we must learn to live with COVID-19 alongside other viruses and we’re offering the free flu jab to millions more people to help keep them safe this winter.

“The phenomenal scale of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is a clear demonstration of the positive impact vaccination can make and I encourage all those eligible to get their flu jab when called forward.”

The enlarged flu drive will build on last year’s expanded flu programme, where flu vaccinations opened up to 50 to 64-year-olds and year 7 pupils for the first time, with the aim of offering protection to as many eligible people as possible.

For frontline healthcare workers and two and three-year olds, the highest ever recorded levels of flu vaccine uptake were also achieved last year. This year, all frontline health and social care workers will be offered the flu vaccination again to ensure they, and the people they care for, are protected.

Eligible groups are urged to get their free vaccine every year and to protect themselves and the most vulnerable people in society ahead of the winter.

As a result of non-pharmaceutical interventions in place for COVID-19 – such as mask-wearing, physical and social distancing, and restricted international travel – flu levels were lower than expected across the world in 2020/21.

It is possible there will be higher levels of flu this winter, with more of the population susceptible given the low levels last season. The flu vaccine offers the best available protection against the virus and the public can reduce the spread of flu and other winter bugs by regularly washing hands, throwing away used tissues and practising good hygiene.

Alongside this flu drive, the government is preparing for a booster programme of COVID-19 vaccines and the Joint Committee on Vaccination (JCVI) and Immunisation has published interim advice on who would be prioritised for a possible third vaccine from September 2021.

The booster programme – which would be designed to ensure millions of people most vulnerable to COVID-19 continue to have the protection they need ahead of the winter and against new variants – will be informed by the JCVI’s final advice expected later this summer based on the very latest scientific data.

The Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Improvement, and Public Health England have today issued the 2021/22 annual flu letter to providers, setting out plans for this year’s expanded programme. This blueprint will ensure GP practices, pharmacies and school-based providers are mobilised to begin administering flu vaccines from September.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: “The flu vaccine is safe, effective and protects millions of people each year from what can be a devastating illness.

“Last winter, flu activity was extremely low, but this is no reason for complacency as it means less people have built up a defence against the virus. Combined with the likelihood that COVID-19 will still be circulating, this makes the coming flu season highly unpredictable.

“We will be preparing for a challenging winter by expanding our world-leading flu vaccination programme to over 35 million people, saving more lives and limiting the impact on the NHS and social care.”

Dr Nikita Kanani, NHS medical director for primary care, said: “NHS staff across England vaccinated record numbers of people against flu last year – a potentially fatal illness – and they continue to pull out all the stops to deliver the biggest and most successful NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme in health history, protecting their patients and communities.

“Getting your free flu vaccine if you are eligible as well as keeping up good habits like regularly washing your hands could help save your life, so please do come forward when you are invited to give you and your loved ones vital protection this winter.”

The childhood flu programme aims to protect children and contain the spread of the virus to babies and vulnerable adults they may be in contact with. The nasal spray vaccine is offered to 2 and 3-year-olds and children in primary school and Year 7 and, for the first time this year, secondary school aged children up to Year 11.

From Scotland with love

Vital equipment on it’s way to fight Covid-19 crisis in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia

A grant of more than £270,000 from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund will fund the supply of 300 items of vital equipment to treat Covid-19 patients in Africa.

The funding will allow Kids Operating Room, a Scottish-based global health charity, to distribute 100 oxygen concentrators each to Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia.

Covid-19 cases in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia are rising quickly, with the health system in Zambia especially under severe stress.

One of the biggest impacts of the rise in Covid-19 cases is a shortage of oxygen, and oxygen concentrators are easy to use, are suitable for patients of all ages, and can be used throughout the health service.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The Covid situation in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia has become very serious, very quickly, and we know that the pressure on health services are putting great stress on their infrastructure, especially in relation to the delivery of oxygen to patients.

“This funding for oxygen concentrators will go some way to help ease the current stress on the health services in our three African partner countries, and we are delighted to work with Kids Operating Room to make sure this vital equipment is put to use as soon as possible.

“Scotland remains fully committed to playing our part in tackling shared global challenges, and we are committed to increase the International Development Fund (IDF) by 50% to £15 million.

“As the global pandemic continues, we firmly believe this is not the time to turn our back on the poorest and those in dire need – instead, this is precisely the moment when we should be living up to our core values.”

David Cunningham, the chief executive officer of Kids Operating Room, said: “Our model is to listen to doctors, then give them what they need – right now, the message is coming back loud and clear that what they need is access to more oxygen to fight Covid-19.

“Oxygen concentrators are key pieces of equipment that are needed to meet the region’s critical oxygen shortage. They are suitable for all ages and durable for years to come post-Covid, making them incredibly essential to support the health services in the long-term.”

Kids Operating Room is a Scottish global health charity with bases in Edinburgh, Dundee and Nairobi. It works directly with local surgeons and their teams across Africa and South America to transform hospital spaces into dedicated operating rooms for children’s surgery.

Oxygen concentrators provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of medical oxygen – they draw air from the environment and then concentrate that room oxygen to therapeutic levels for delivery to patients.

The charity will coordinate the distribution of the oxygen equipment.  They will arrange for delivery to doctors in Lusaka, Lilongwe and Kigali, and have the equipment distributed to the most in-demand hospitals.

Wildfire warning this weekend

Warm weather and rising wind speeds forecast for this weekend have increased the risk of surface fires across Eastern Scotland. 

The wildfire danger assessment has been issued by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service today (Friday, July 16) in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF). 

These surface fires could burn and spread with moderate to high intensity over Saturday and Sunday. 

In Easter Ross, Inverness-shire and Morayshire, there could be very high fire intensity with wind speeds the highest on Saturday. 

Area Commander Bruce Farquharson, the SFRS Wildfire Lead, said: “We are in the height of summer and with the warm forecast for the weekend it could bring with it the potential for wildfires, which can devastate vast areas of land and wildlife.

 “As always, we would urge people who live within the high risk regions to be extremely careful. 

“Please act safely and responsibly if you are out and about over the next few days.” 

Follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which can be found on the SFRS website.

First dose phase of vaccination programme nears completion

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has visited a drop-in vaccination clinic in Arbroath as the national programme nears completion of first doses for all adults who attended their scheduled appointments on Sunday.

The clinic in Arbroath is one of many additional walk-in and pop-up facilities operating across the mainland to encourage people to get Jagged in July and Mr Yousaf urged anyone who is yet to take up their offer of a vaccine for whatever reason to come forward now.

No appointment is necessary at drop-in clinics and people can attend whether they are due a first dose or second dose, if eight weeks have passed. Anyone who wishes to book an appointment can do so at NHS Inform.

Mr Yousaf said: “I am pleased to see people making use of the vaccination clinic in Arbroath and urge others to do the same at their local drop-in venues if they haven’t yet come forward to be vaccinated.

“Getting vaccinated has never been easier. Simply head to a drop-in or pop-up clinic – the most up-to-date details of clinics near you can be found on your local NHS board’s social media posts or book an appointment online in a location which suits.

“The vaccination programme is working – evidence shows vaccination is weakening the link between case numbers and severe acute illness. However, case numbers are still high and vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself and those around you.

“We are currently working through the final group on the JCVI priority list – those aged between 18 and 29 – and we know that the extra drop-in clinics being operated by mainland health boards until Sunday make it easier for them to fit getting vaccinated into their busy lives. Walk-ins will still be available after this week but now is the time to take advantage of all the additional facilities on offer.

“I want to thank all those involved in setting up these clinics and of course, everyone involved in the national vaccination programme. It has been a huge success and without doubt, represents our best way out of the pandemic.”

NHS Tayside Director of Public Health Dr Emma Fletcher said: “Drop-in vaccination clinics are running at venues right across Tayside to make it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated. No appointment is necessary and anyone over 18 can drop-in. 

“So far, uptake of vaccinations in Tayside has been very good. We have delivered over 532,500 vaccines in Tayside with 300,000 people, 86% of the adult population, having one dose and around 232,500 people, 66%, having had both doses but we need that uptake to be higher to stop the spread of the virus.  

“We know that getting both doses of the vaccine offers maximum protection against the virus and we are particularly encouraging people aged 18-29 to come forward as early as they can. So if you have not yet had your first jab, or you are longer than eight weeks from your first jab and are due your second jab, come along to your nearest clinic and we will get you vaccinated.” 

Police appeal following arson attack in Colinton

Police are appealing for information after two cars were deliberately set on fire in the Colinton area. 

The incident happened around 11.30pm on Wednesday (14 July 2021) on the driveway of a property in Spylaw Park.

Officers are keen to speak to two men seen at the time, both wearing grey tracksuits and dark-coloured trainers. One is described as around 6ft, the other as around 5ft 10ins and he was riding a mountain bike and carrying a rucksack. 

The men may also have been in Lanark Road and Spylaw Avenue around the time of the incident.

Detective Constable Sam Gillies, of Edinburgh CID, said: “Fortunately no one was injured but this was a deliberate and reckless act that has destroyed two cars and could have caused more extensive damage if the fire had not been put out quickly by the fire service.

“We are asking anyone who may have seen something suspicious in the area at the time of the incident to get in touch, including if you were driving and have dash-cam footage that could help with our investigation.

“If you can help please contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 4203 of Wednesday, 14 July, 2021, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival goes online this weekend

Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2021 goes online! 

We are very pleased to announce that the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2021 will be hitting your screens again this weekend.

With Covid restrictions still uncertain for large events, together with our unions and sponsors, we are organising yet another packed agenda online.

From Friday 16th – Sunday 18th July 2021, we will be bringing you discussions, debates, radical history lessons, lots of music and all the best of the Festival straight into your living room.

Fans of the Festival will be able to watch freeon our Facebook group, Youtube channel, or right here on our website. 

Want to be the first to hear the latest? – make sure to join our vibrant Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival Facebook group!  

£698,000 set to support 6,821 families in Edinburgh to buy school clothes

The Scottish Government has set to support 6,821 school children in Edinburgh with £698,000 of support to buy school clothes through the School Clothing Grant.

The School Clothing Grant was increased this month by the Scottish Government and provides families with primary school children with £120 per child and £150 per child in secondary school.

The support helps families pay for school clothes and shoes.

Applications are still open for eligible parents to apply for the start of the new school year. To apply, parents should visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/food-clothing/free-school-meals-school-clothing-grants.

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald  said: “The SNP Scottish Government has already helped a significant number of families in Edinburgh with buying school clothes and shoes, and applications are still open for eligible families to apply for the start of the new school year.

“Meeting the costs of buying school clothes can be very challenging for thousands of families across Scotland and the SNP Scottish Government has introduced the School Clothing Grant to ensure every child in Scotland doesn’t miss out.

“Being in a uniform not only breaks stigma in school but gets young people in the right mindset for learning.

“This is another demonstration of our tale of two governments – one in Edinburgh building a social security system built on dignity, fairness and respect, in stark contrast to the one in Westminster preparing to cut Universal Credit which could plunge 20,000 children in Scotland into poverty.”

The number of children and young people estimated will benefit from the minimum school clothing grant, broken down by local authority area, is provided within the following table:

Local AuthorityEstimated number of children and young people (in each LA area)
  
Aberdeen City3,471
Aberdeenshire3,376
Angus2,473
Argyll and Bute1,463
Clackmannanshire1,349
Dumfries and Galloway3,374
Dundee City6,045
East Ayrshire4,167
East Dunbartonshire2,014
East Lothian1,682
East Renfrewshire1,714
Edinburgh, City of6,821
Eilean Siar (Western Isles)416
Falkirk4,678
Fife11,882
Glasgow City28,464
Highland4,333
Inverclyde3,114
Midlothian2,018
Moray1,434
North Ayrshire5,186
North Lanarkshire10,234
Orkney Islands227
Perth and Kinross1,850
Renfrewshire5,498
Scottish Borders2,220
Shetland Islands309
South Ayrshire2,926
South Lanarkshire10,622
Stirling1,692
West Dunbartonshire3,530
West Lothian6,498
  
SCOTLAND145,080

The funding allocation of the £11.8 million in additional funding for the school clothing grant, broken down by local authority area, is provided within the following table:

Local AuthorityAdditional funding for school clothing grants
  
Aberdeen City£351,000
Aberdeenshire£371,000
Angus£239,000
Argyll and Bute£155,000
Clackmannanshire£136,000
Dumfries and Galloway£354,000
Dundee City£357,000
East Ayrshire£334,000
East Dunbartonshire£146,000
East Lothian£218,000
East Renfrewshire£147,000
Edinburgh, City of£698,000
Eilean Siar (Western Isles)£43,000
Falkirk£363,000
Fife£935,000
Glasgow City£1,940,000
Highland£469,000
Inverclyde£161,000
Midlothian£191,000
Moray£187,000
North Ayrshire£379,000
North Lanarkshire£929,000
Orkney Islands£40,000
Perth and Kinross£274,000
Renfrewshire£363,000
Scottish Borders£245,000
Shetland Islands£29,000
South Ayrshire£237,000
South Lanarkshire£678,000
Stirling£161,000
West Dunbartonshire£234,000
West Lothian£436,000
  
SCOTLAND£11,800,000

Big Butterfly Count: Where have all the butterflies gone?

Butterfly species hard hit by changeable weather patterns

Where have the butterflies gone? Butterfly Conservation launches this year’s Big Butterfly Count with urgent appeal for public’s help after disastrous spring weather.

Chris Packham and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are launching this year’s Big Butterfly Count today by asking people to help find and record butterflies across the UK.

Butterfly Conservation’s current records show that many species of butterflies have had a poor spring or a delay in their emergence following 2021’s unseasonably cold and wet weather.

The Speckled Wood was particularly low in numbers this spring, but the Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Green-veined White, Large White and Red Admiral were also all down in abundance compared with their 10-year average. How this will impact this summer’s butterflies is what the charity is asking people to find out, by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.

The weather in spring 2021 has been very challenging for many of the UK’s butterflies and moths. Although April was the sunniest on record, it was also very cold with a record number of frosts. This was then followed by the wettest May for over 50 years. Butterfly Conservation needs the public’s help to measure how these conditions have affected our butterflies and moths. 

The UK is experiencing an increasing number of extreme weather events, a likely result of climate change, and it’s important we learn the effect these changes have on our native butterfly species in order to understand the likely long-term impacts on biodiversity.

The Big Butterfly Count is Butterfly Conservation’s annual three-week citizen science event. The UK-wide survey is open to everyone, of any age, living in towns, cities or the countryside.

Taking part just requires you to spend 15 minutes in an outdoor space (a great staycation activity) counting the amount and type of butterflies, and some day-flying moths, you see. It is easy to do and the more people who do it, the greater the benefits to our understanding of nature and how to help it. 

For those taking part in Scotland, a new species has been added to the Big Butterfly Count identification guide this year.

The Scotch Argus is common and widespread in Scotland but has declined in the southern part of its range, especially in England where it is reduced to just two isolated sites. Butterfly spotters in Scotland are encouraged to record their sightings of the Scotch Argus so that scientists might better understand changes in the population.

There were over 145,000 counts submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, more than ever before. Though worryingly, 2020 also saw the lowest average number of butterflies logged since the event began twelve years ago.

Chris Packham, Vice-President of Butterfly Conservation and wildlife broadcaster, says: “Biodiversity and climate crisis is an urgent issue and it can be overwhelming to think about what we can do as individuals to really make a difference.

“Because butterflies and moths make excellent indicators of the impacts of climate change and other human environmental factors, collecting data on their numbers is really important. So, something as simple as recording a butterfly spotted in your garden, at your local park or on your window box can play a part in vital research into a global problem. It’s a really valuable contribution everyone can make.”

Dr Zoë Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation says: “The Big Butterfly Count, along with our other research work, is already showing us changes in the populations of our butterflies and moths. Climate change and other human-led impacts are causing some species to be found in new areas, while others are becoming harder to find in the UK at all.

“We really need the public’s help to understand what is happening to our butterfly and moth populations. It’s a small but crucial thing everyone can do. This information will not only help us to protect these species, but also to inform what effect the changing climate is having on our biodiversity.”

Taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is something anyone of any age or ability can do, in any outdoor space. It provides a real contribution to science and our understanding of butterfly and moth populations in the UK.

This year the Big Butterfly Count is sponsored by garden wildlife specialist Vivara and the DFN Foundation, a commissioning charity focused on influencing sustainable change in special needs education, supported employment, healthcare and conservation.

Bastiaan de Jong, COO of Vivara said: “Back gardens can provide essential pit-stops for insects and are perfect locations for butterfly spotting.

“Whatever space you have, make it inviting to wildlife and enjoy doing your bit for nature on your doorstep. So join in and ‘get out for the count’ to see just which butterflies love your garden!”

David Forbes Nixon OBE, Chairman of the DFN Foundation, said: “We are once again thrilled to be the official co-sponsor of the Big Butterfly Count and look forward to continuing our work with Butterfly Conservation to identify trends in species that will help us plan how to protect butterflies from extinction.

“Last year saw more submissions to the Big Butterfly Count than ever before and it was wonderful to see this engagement even in the midst of the pandemic. Now, as we continue to follow the roadmap out of lockdown, we have a huge opportunity to build on this momentum and engage with even more people of all ages across the country on connecting with nature in a positive and meaningful way. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into even greater focus the need to help improve our whole environment for wildlife and enrich the lives of people now and in the future.”

This year’s Big Butterfly Count runs from the 16th July to the 8th August.

For more information and to take part simply visit www.bigbutterflycount.org or download the free Big Butterfly Count app.