MORE people are taking to Northern Ireland shops than a year ago according to new figures.
The latest footfall statistics show a 3.4 per cent rise in May compared to the same month in 2015.
It marks a major turnaround for the north's high streets following a massive decline in shopper numbers in April.
The increase is just the 13th monthly rise in the last four years.
But while overall footfall was in the up last month, the numbers taking to Northern Ireland's shopping centres actually fell by 2.9 per cent.
The north's figures compared favourably with the UK as a whole where footfall increased by 0.3 per cent.
But, Diane Wehrle, marking and insights director at Springboard which compiled the data said it did "not necessarily mark the start of a positive trend just yet".
"However, the good news is that Northern Ireland's high street footfall rose in each week of the month compared with three out of four weeks across the UK," she said.
"And the rise over the first two weeks - stimulated by the May bank holiday weekend - was also higher, averaging 7.6 per cent compared with 4.1 per cent across the UK.
"Even in retail parks across the UK, the destination type with the most consistent long term increase in activity, footfall rose in the first two weeks of the month by an average of 8 per cent compared with just 1.6 per cent over the second half.
"These results contrast with a drop in shopping centre footfall in Northern Ireland during May of 2.9 per cent. Our time of day data shows us that the 'golden hours'of 5pm to 8pm are delivering the best footfall for UK high streets.
"This is only the 13th time over the last four years that high street footfall in Northern Ireland has risen, and over this period footfall increased in at least two consecutive months only twice.
We would need to see at least a three-month increase in footfall to indicate the upward trend spells anything more than a break in the clouds.
"With the uncertainty created by the EU referendum affecting consumer confidence, it will be challenging for this three month trend to establish just now.”
