Why Belfast’s glow up goes beyond footfall

For years, footfall has been the headline metric used to judge the health of Belfast city centre. It’s easy to measure, easy to compare and easy to communicate. City centre footfall is up 6% this year so far, however, anyone who works, trades or spends time in the city knows that numbers alone don’t tell the full story. A truly healthy city centre isn’t just busy, it’s vibrant, welcoming and worth making an effort to spend time in.

What we are increasingly seeing in Belfast is a shift from pass-through visits to purposeful ones. People are coming into the city with clear intent, and that is being driven by long-standing and strong independent businesses alongside global brands that have chosen to invest more deeply in their spaces, or to make Belfast their first-ever Irish home.

A prime example is last week’s opening of Sephora in Victoria Square. As the only bricks-and-mortar Sephora store on the island of Ireland, it represents a significant moment for how Belfast city centre is positioned. This is not simply the arrival of a popular beauty brand; it is a glow up for Belfast. A destination that will draw visitors from across the island, encouraging them to stay longer and engage more fully with everything the city has to offer.

Consumers are increasingly choosing Belfast with intention – to meet friends, enjoy food and culture, stay overnight and shop at places they don’t have at home. Last year’s opening of the world’s first standalone Primark Home store on Donegall Place is another example of this exclusivity. When Belfast offers something distinctive, it becomes a place worth staying in.

The openings we can expect over the coming months across hospitality, retail, leisure and mixed-use spaces will add further texture and vibrancy to the city centre. These developments not only enhance the overall offer but give long-standing businesses the opportunity to benefit from increased dwell time and renewed consumer confidence.

At Belfast One, we have seen this shift in real time. Our role is to help shape an environment where people want to spend time, a city centre that feels safe, attractive and full of energy. We invest in initiatives that go beyond marketing, from city centre animation that encourages exploration, to enhanced cleaning, sustainability initiatives and safety measures that support growth across the wider economy. Our Belfast City Centre Gift Card is a strong example of this circular approach, recording a 50% uplift in sales over the Christmas period, which has continued into the new year.

We are also paying close attention to how people feel about the city centre. Sentiment, perception and confidence are just as important as traditional data points. When shoppers and businesses tell us they feel proud to be in Belfast, that they are choosing the city to set up shop, meet friends or discover somewhere new, those are powerful indicators of progress.

Crucially, this is not something Belfast One can or should do alone. Collaboration sits at the heart of our ethos. Businesses can get involved by engaging with BID initiatives, while continued partnership with stakeholders is essential. Examples range from our teams improving streetscapes, while supporting and implementing late-night transport to boost the night-time economy.

Footfall will always matter, but it must be part of a broader picture that includes dwell time, diversity of offer, visitor intent and, ultimately, the quality of experience. Belfast city centre is evolving, and if we focus on creating a place people genuinely want to spend time in, the numbers will follow, and Belfast will be stronger for it.