Why confidence will be crucial to get our city centre high street back on track - the YEP says

But the devastating impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt, as figures suggest it is only attracting half of its usual number of shoppers.

Staff make up a huge proportion of the footfall but many are still working from home.

Business chiefs are hoping that next week will prove to be a real catalyst for a turning point in the city centre’s fortunes.

As children return to the classroom, the Leeds BID organisation hopes that workers will soon start to follow suit.

The next two weeks will be critical to look at whether working habits change as we move towards a new “normal”.

Nobody wants to see names vanish as businesses are forced to close their doors.

But confidence will now be crucial to make sure that visitors to the city centre feel safe - and that they keep the high street tills ringing.

Our city centre must not only survive but continue to truly thrive.

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