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Why Footfall Data Matters in Your Alcohol Strategy
- Joanne Cox-Brown
- Jun 6
- 2 min read
By Jo Cox-Brown
We are currently working on several alcohol and nighttime strategies, and footfall data is emerging as a key sticking point. Therefore, I thought I'd blog about why it matters so much.
As local authorities and safety partnerships develop or refresh their alcohol strategies, many overlook a vital source of insight: footfall data.
At first glance, it might seem more relevant to retail analytics. However, in the context of nighttime safety, licensing, and public health, footfall data can reveal exactly how people interact with a space and how to make those spaces safer, smarter, and more supportive of both vibrancy and well-being.
So what kind of footfall data should you be collecting as part of your alcohol strategy?
1. Understand the Rhythm of the Night
Footfall counters provide real-time and historical data on the number of people moving through key areas, and when. Tracking this by hour, day, and season allows you to pinpoint peak drinking times, Friday and Saturday nights, summer festivals, or bank holidays, and to plan interventions accordingly.
2. Pinpoint High-Impact Areas
By mapping footfall data across nightlife zones, transport hubs, and residential areas, you can identify hotspots for alcohol-related harms, such as anti-social behaviour, noise complaints, and crowding. Layering this with incident data helps target your resources more efficiently, from Safe Zones to policing patrols.
3. Track Dispersal & Density
Not all nightlife-related harm happens inside a venue. Late-night footfall data, particularly between 1 am and 4 am, can reveal how people move after venues close. This is key for managing public transport pressure, late-night food queues, or potential flashpoints for conflict or vulnerability.
4. Understand Who’s Coming and Going
Some advanced footfall sensors can provide anonymised estimates of group size, gender breakdown, and even age bands. This can be particularly useful if you're tailoring interventions to specific groups, like young adults or vulnerable drinkers.
5. Link Data to Licensing & Policy
When used alongside licensing data and local health outcomes, footfall data supports decisions about:
Cumulative Impact Zones
Venue closing hours
Street design and lighting
Location of public toilets or mobile welfare units
It also provides an evidence base for engaging with residents and business owners about local pressures, especially where noise, safety, or congestion are concerns.
How We Can Help
At Night Time Economy Solutions, we’ve worked with 100's of towns and cities around the world to build more innovative, evidence-led alcohol strategies. We understand how to integrate footfall analytics into broader safety, public health, and licensing frameworks.
Whether you’re refreshing your strategy or developing one from scratch, we’d love to support you.
👉 If you’d like help interpreting your footfall data, creating heat maps, or embedding it into a joined-up alcohol strategy, book a free discovery call with our team by emailing hello@nighttimeeeconomy.com
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