Historic shopping arcades buck national footfall trends thanks to city centre gigs

A summer of music has resulted in Cardiff bucking UK-wide trends – with historic shopping arcade Morgan Quarter seeing a 10 per cent increase in footfall compared to 2023.

May and June saw the likes of Pink, the Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, and Taylor Swift all bring huge stadium shows to the capital, having a positive knock-on effect on the Morgan Quarter. 

Established in 1896, the Morgan Quarter is comprised of the Royal and Morgan Arcades.

The Welsh Retail Consortium reported that Wales suffered an overall decline in retail footfall of 4.1 per cent this June, compared to the rest of the UK which saw a decline in footfall of 2.3 per cent.

Welsh shopping centres also experienced a decrease in June, with figures down by 2.4 per cent compared to 2023.

Record footfall

In contrast, many of the Morgan Quarter businesses saw record-breaking profits in June – a major turnaround from 2023. 

Morgan Quarter business Astrid and Miyu thrived both on gig days and the days that followed.

Their in-store services, like welded bracelets and tattoos, particularly flourished with Taylor Swift fans due to her fanbase’s tradition of friendship bracelets. 

Hannah Morgan, store manager of Astrid and Miyu Cardiff, said: “We saw a lot of business the days that followed the gigs, especially with Taylor [Swift].

“The gigs brought a lot of customers to Cardiff that didn’t know we were here, so it was really positive for us.”

Another business that thrived was Slunks, an award-winning hair salon located in the Morgan Arcade. Slunks saw an increase in appointments during the months dominated by city centre gigs, especially for their hair tinselling service. 

Chelsea Thompson, owner and stylist at Slunks, said: “Tinsel is a service we offer all year round, but when there’s a gig in the centre we find we get so many bookings”

“Anytime there’s a big gig in town such as Taylor Swift or Harry Styles, it brings a lot of business to the salon, and we will create packages suited to these events”. 

Owner of city centre café, Maple and Bean, Abbie Downey shared the ‘Swift’ sentiments. 

Abbie said: “Taylor Swift’s visit to Cardiff in particular brought lots of people into Maple and Bean.”

Morgan Quarter centre manager, Marika Jones, said: “We’re delighted that so many of our tenants experienced a positive June as a result of the city centre gigs.

“It’s been wonderful seeing visitors attending the gigs discover our arcades.”

Carolyn Brownell, executive director of FOR Cardiff, Cardiff’s Business Improvement District, said: “We’re delighted to support businesses in the city centre, especially during such an exciting time.

“The gigs that took place in May and June have been an amazing way of putting Cardiff on the map, elevating its national and international profile. 

“As the city’s Business Improvement District, FOR Cardiff are proud to support the hospitality industry in the city centre, supporting our local businesses to position the city centre as the premier city destination to visit this summer.”

For more information on FOR Cardiff, visit their website here

For more information on Morgan Quarter, visit their website here