Important announcement

Due to operational issues, regrettably, some of our food waste collections have been suspended. If your food caddy is not collected on its scheduled day, please take your bin in and present it on your next collection day. We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause and we’re working hard to remedy the situation.

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Technical Notes 2026, Issue 93 - Town Centre Footfall

  • Report by:

    Ann Davie, Chief Executive

  • TN Number:

    093-26

  • Subject:

    Town Centre Footfall

  • Responsible Officer:

    Heather Holland, Chief Planning Officer Executive Officer – Land Planning & Development

  • Publication:

    This Technical Note will be published on the Council’s website following circulation to Members. Its contents may be disclosed or shared out with the Council.

  • The purpose of this Technical Note is to provide Elected Members with information on town centre footfall. At the meeting of Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee on 28 May 2026, this information was requested following a discussion relating to the footfall indicator in the HGIOS year-end reports.
  • The PDF in the document section below shows comparative footfall for each town centre over 2022/2023 to 2025/2026
  • Footfall is counted in East Dunbartonshire’s four town centres – Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Milngavie and Kirkintilloch. It is done so by a single counter box located on lamppost or signage pole. The data is collected and processed by an external footfall counter company, at an annual cost to the Council
  • Please note the counter in Kirkintilloch in August 2024 required to be repaired. Generally, all the equipment is at end of life and requires replacing. New footfall counter equipment is being procured, and it is expected these will be installed later in the year
  • As referenced at Committee, the new Morrisons store in Bishopbriggs opened on 4 July 2024 and new town centre housing development phased completion and occupation of units between 2023/24 – 2025/26
  • A wide range of social, economic, and environmental factors, trends and conditions (both micro and macro) influence the performance of town centres. Where footfall generating uses, whether that be commercial or residential, are present this can positively impact footfall in town centres, conversely high concentration of vacant premises in key locations, can have a negative effect. Assessing the health and performance of town centres requires detailed exercises that explore a range of factors. Town centre health checks are undertaken as part of work to support Local Development Plans and sub-strategies. Footfall counts and town centre vacancy rate information is collected more regularly and presented in 6 monthly How Good Is Our Service reports.

Document