Footfall and Spending Surge on Chiswick High Road
Launch of expanded Marks and Spencer might be part of the reason
Spending on the High Road has risen by a quarter compared with 2025
September 21, 2026
Recently released data has shown that there has been strong growth in both spending and footfall on Chiswick High Road so far this year.
The High Streets Data Service (HSDS), which is a collaborative data-sharing partnership between the Greater London Authority, London boroughs, and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), saw its index for Chiswick Town Centre footfall rise by 15% and spending up by 25% in the first three months of this year compared to the same quarter in 2025.
The numbers are based on card transaction data and mainly capture spending at major retailers. The strong rise in Chiswick comes as a surprise because, for much of the first quarter this year, Waitrose was closed for refurbishment. One possible explanation for the surge in spending is the launch of the expanded Marks and Spencer store in December 2025.
Despite these encouraging numbers, there are indications that trading conditions remained difficult for many local retailers with a number of closures taking place over this period including the departure of The Italians.
The numbers were released by the Labour party in the borough Hounslow as it hailed its new powers to tackle vape shops and bookies which it believes will further boost retail prospects in town centres. There was a similar surge in Brentford which benefited from the opening of a new Lidl store on the High Street but footfall and spend in Feltham and Hounslow was flat over the year. Only a limited amount of data was made available to us so we were unable to verify whether the surge in footfall and spend in this quarter was part of a broader trend or a one off.
Last month the Government announced a suite of measures aimed at reviving Britain’s High Streets. These included removing ‘aim to permit’, giving local authorities greater powers to refuse new betting shops, closing the loophole that allows vape shops to open without applying for planning permission and legislating to double the maximum length of Closure Orders from 6 to 12 months, giving police and local authorities more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime and stop rogue operators reopening too quickly.
In addition, support is being offered to improve shopfronts, signs and the overall look and feel of high streets, backed by the Planning Advisory Service
The Labour Group of Hounslow Councillors brought a motion to the Borough Council Meeting earlier this month welcoming these announcements and committing to use these new powers to prevent clustering of betting shops in deprived communities and prevent vape shops from opening near schools.
Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, Hounslow’s Labour Leader, said, “For too long local councils have lacked the tools to stop the unchecked spread of betting shops, adult gaming centres and vape shops. These announcements have put power back in the hands of local people, and as a council, it is our duty to act. We will use these powers to preserve the character of our local high streets.
“This isn’t about saying that certain businesses are ‘good’ or ‘bad’. There are 57 gambling establishments in Hounslow. These are often most concentrated in deprived communities. Removing ‘aim to permit’ just helps level the playing field in favour of local people and will help to ensure that the house doesn’t always win.”
Cllr Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader, and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development added, “Higher footfall and spend on our high streets are signs of how resilient they are. But we also want our town centres to be places that people can feel proud of. That's why we’re investing £1.5 million of Pride in Place funding on projects like restoring shopfronts, installing murals and mosaics, as well as investing in ‘meanwhile uses’ for empty shops.
“People can feel powerless when they see their local high street being taken over by vape shops and bookies. The key to healthier high streets is restoring a sense of pride.”
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