Nearly three million visits to Brighouse have been recorded in the first six months of the year – a 15% year-on-year increase on the numbers coming to the town.
Events, such as the Artisan Markets, Fiver Fests and Easter Egg Trail, along with the growing number of shops, venues and businesses choosing to invest in the town have led to the increase, according to analysis of new data from the town’s Business Improvement District (BID).
The busiest period was June when the 1940s Weekend brought tens of thousands of visitors to Brighouse. 555,000 trips to the town centre were recorded – a quarter more than the same month in 2022, helped by the beautiful weather which greeted the popular annual event.
Some town centre shops, cafes and bars reported they took a full month’s takings in just one weekend on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 June as the 1940s Weekend made Brighouse a destination from across Calderdale, Yorkshire and beyond.
Tracey Broadbent, BID Director and Head of Retail at Overgate Hospice, which has four shops in Brighouse town centre, said:
“The 1940s Weekend was an incredible event that brought tens of thousands of people into Brighouse. Our Overgate shops were packed, and the town centre was buzzing – it was a brilliant advert for everything Brighouse is about as a destination for those who live nearby and those who travel from further afield.
“Thank you to everyone across our community who came to Brighouse, shopped and enjoyed that weekend, and throughout the past six months, and we know that the many new visitors will return time-after-time.”
The information comes from Place Informatics who provide footfall and behaviour insight for town centres, retail parks, shopping centres, leisure parks and outlet parks nationwide based on anonymous use of data from visitors.
It has been analysed by the town’s BID which represents all businesses in the town centre – from shops to cafes, offices to bars – who are automatically members of the organisation, with voluntary membership also open to those outside the town centre boundary.
