Region's small towns and suburbs 'thrive' due to pandemic work changes according to new analysis

Morecambe has 'thrived' due to post pandemic changes to working patterns Credit: PA Images

Seaside towns like Morecambe have been thriving due to changes in working patterns after the pandemic.

New analysis indicates that mobile activity in the Lancashire town shot up by 70% between 2019 and 2022.

Experts say that in common with other seaside resorts across the UK like Bognor Regis in West Sussex, where use of mobile devices went up by by 40%, it indicates that flexible working patterns have seen people move away from city centres.

The seaside town saw a surge in mobile activity - analysts say it indicates a move away from city centres Credit: Danny Lawson/PA Wire/PA Images

The data came from anonymised phone activity by analytics platforms Placemake.io and Visitor Insights, which covered more than 500 high streets from January 2019 to December 2022, based on eight million mobile devices across the UK.

The survey also shows Kirkby, in Merseyside, enjoyed a surge in visitors over the same three-year period. According to the data numbers went up by 160%.

More flexible working patterns brought about by the pandemic have led people to shun city centres according to the survey Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/PA Images

Coinciding with this the study also suggests a pattern of shrinking visitors to large city centres between 2019 and 2022.

London saw the biggest decline with visitors to the City of London dropping by 55%, and that separate data from the Department for Transport reveals that commuters in London have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Activity in big cities Birmingham and Sheffield also dropped by about 30%.

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