AVERAGE weekly footfall – based on the number of people frequenting shopping areas in Galashiels town centre – fell by 4% last year and is now a massive 18% below the level recorded in 2007.

The 2014 figure of 7,780, down from 8,100 the previous year, is revealed in the latest survey results published by Scottish Borders Council.

The surveys took place on Fridays and Saturdays, between 10am and 5pm, in September and October last year.

To assess footfall, enumerators counted every pedestrian who passed one of 30 designated points between Market Street and Island Street – an area notably not including the peripheral supermarket sites or the Gala Water retail park.

The methodology, first established in 2007, does not include young children, posties and delivery staff and the weekly figure is calculated by multiplying the recorded weekend figures by 2.53.

The SBC report accompanying the survey confirms that Galashiels still has the highest footfall of all town centres in the Borders, closely followed by Peebles, with Kelso and Hawick trailing some way behind in third and fourth place But the 2007 weekly footfall figure for Galashiels of 9,500 – recorded after Asda and Tesco opened their 24-hour superstores – has been dwindling annually and last year’s 4% reduction comes on top of a 2% fall the previous year.

Although the town has the highest volume of floorspace and the highest levels of consumer spending in the region, the report reveals that its current retail unit vacancy rate is 19% - “one of the highest in the Borders”.

Of the railway, due to open in September, and the new transport interchange, set to be operating this summer, the report states: “Both have the potential to drive additional footfall into the town centre.” The survey indicates a mixed picture in other Borders towns with Kelso emerging as notable trend-buckers, recording an average weekly footfall of 4,980 in 2014 – up 21% on the previous year and only 1% lower than in pre-recession 2007. The opening of a large Sainsbury’s supermarket in 2010 has had no major impact on Kelso town centre, claims the report.

Peebles also appears to be coping well, with an average weekly footfall of 7,610 – up 7% on 2013.

In Jedburgh, weekly footfall of 2,610 in 2014 was 3% down on the previous year and down 11% since 2007, although the vacancy rate for retail premises in the town is lower than the regional average at 9%.

It’s a gloomy picture, however, in Selkirk where weekly footfall, at 2,090, was 14% down on 2013 following a 9% decline the previous year.

“Selkirk has shown a consistent pattern of footfall decline,” states the report which notes the town has a current high vacancy rate of 16%.

The report cautions that the region-wide town centre weekly footfall total of 31,590, although ostensibly down by 11% in a single year, may have been skewed by what it describes as “potential rogue results” in Melrose and Hawick.

Torrential rain during the survey periods in Melrose last year is cited as the only possible explanation for the weekly footfall being recorded at just 990, compared to 2013’s 3,390.

“Melrose has consistently been one of the strongest performing town centres in the Borders…it is considered very likely this is an outlying result,” states the report.

The situation in Hawick is, however, less easily explained.

“In 2014, Hawick experienced the second harshest annual decline in average weekly footfall ever recorded [down 40% from 6,200 to 3,750].

“The succession of large falls in footfall over the last six years was already a concern and the council has set out changes to Hawick’s town centre planning policies to encourage footfall generating uses.

“Hawick will continue to require close attention going forward.”