December will be a pivotal month for Cardiff city centre, with indications suggesting that Black Friday and Cyber Monday will play a major role in shaping overall Q4 economic performance.
That’s the key takeaway from new retail data from Beauclair shared by FOR Cardiff, the city centre Business Improvement District (BID).
October Beauclair data for Cardiff revealed a -2.5% year-on-year decline in monthly sales, a softer drop than the -4.1% national benchmark, highlighting that the Welsh capital is outperforming other major UK cities despite ongoing economic uncertainty.
But while customer numbers and transactions dipped in October, two of Cardiff’s strongest sectors, fashion (+2.4%) and food and drink (+1.2%), are expected to lead a December surge in spending, driven by discount-led shopping, and the city’s growing appeal as a festive destination.
With Beauclair’s national data showing that UK consumers delayed October spending, November’s upcoming mega-retail weekend is predicted to be a crucial trigger for unlocking pent-up demand – particularly in the two of Cardiff’s highest-value sectors last month.
“If the Black Friday to Cyber Monday period performs strongly, it could set the pace for December and help stabilise our city-centre trading after a cautious autumn,” said Carolyn Brownell, Executive Director, FOR Cardiff.
FOR Cardiff recently launched two major new festive light projections as part of its A Very Cardiff Christmas campaign, designed specifically to attract visitors during key high-spend periods including Black Friday weekend, Cyber Monday, and early-December Christmas shopping peaks.
The installations have transformed Cardiff Market and Cardiff Central Station into free, large-scale festive landmarks, using light, colour and Welsh storytelling to encourage visitors to explore, shop, dine and ultimately stay longer in the city centre.
The launch coincided with the start of late-night Christmas shopping in the city centre, and with FOR Cardiff’s expanded Weekend Park & Ride service, supporting both footfall growth and sustainable travel into the city centre.
Carolyn said:
“FOR Cardiff is committed to creating reasons for people to choose the city centre during these key periods – from our new light projections to the wider A Very Cardiff Christmas programme and our Weekend Park & Ride service. These activations help drive footfall, support businesses, and celebrate the creativity and community that make Cardiff so special at this time of year.”
