December footfall uplift reinforces strength of Belfast city centre trading

Final weeks of December delivered a marked increase in city-centre activity in Belfast, according to provisional footfall data, offering a positive post-Christmas assessment for hospitality and retail operators.

Figures released by Belfast City Council show that the city centre averaged 215,172 daily visits during the first two weeks of December, representing a 31% increase compared with the same period last year. The uplift equated to an additional 53,725 visits per day, up from 164,087 during the equivalent fortnight in 2024.

The analysis, compiled by Huq Industries, also recorded an average of 161,447 daily visitors across 2025 to date, highlighting December’s outsized contribution to annual footfall performance.

Although December is traditionally the busiest month for the city centre, the scale of the year-on-year increase was described as “very positive” by city leaders, particularly in the context of recent transport and night-time economy initiatives.

The uplift followed the introduction of Translink’s expanded late-night services, which commenced on 28 November. The programme introduced 11 dedicated night routes operating on Fridays and Saturdays, alongside extended services on selected Ulsterbus and Goldliner routes serving areas outside Belfast.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Tracy Kelly was speaking after a city-centre walkabout with Police Service of Northern Ireland Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton and Belfast’s Night Czar Michael Stewart, when she said:

“While footfall figures won’t be fully finalised for another few weeks,” she said. “This appears to have been a very successful Christmas for the city centre and, as the key driver for the wider Northern Ireland economy, this is a very positive way to end the year.”

Mr Stewart said the enhanced late-night transport provision had already provided practical support to city-centre workers and customers during the festive trading period.

“This Christmas, Belfast is buzzing. The city is alive with people shopping, socialising, and celebrating, which is a real sign of confidence and vibrancy,” he said.

He added:

“Our focus should be on making it a Belfast Christmas – a season of atmosphere, connection, and experience.

“The new late-night public transport services are already helping spread travel demand, giving visitors and staff more flexibility and supporting a safer, more connected city.”

With finalised figures still to be published, the December performance is expected to inform ongoing discussions around transport investment, night-time economy strategy and city-centre trading conditions in 2026.