The data shows that as of mid-June, 85% of shopping centre tenants were open and trading but shopper numbers had not yet returned to anywhere near previous levels.

However, while shopper footfall was down 40% in shopping centres, retail parks have only seen a 20% year-on-year drop in footfall, according to the data.

One of the main problems for shopping centres was access, said Nick Hilton, a partner in Workman’s retail and leisure team.

“With a number of shopping centres, yes you may be able to drive to them but you may be parking in a multi-storey car park, which doesn’t necessarily have the same sort of safety about it,” he said. “Retail parks are perhaps a more convenient environment. The majority of visits are by car, they’re open-air and the retail units are typically bigger with higher ceilings, so you feel inherently safer.”

Hilton said that another advantage retail parks had over shopping centres was that many had continued to trade during lockdown as many of their tenants were considered ‘essential’, whereas fashion-led retail destinations more commonly found in shopping centres were only allowed to reopen from 15 June.

The numbers in the wider retail market would only start to show signs of significant improvement when people returned to the workplace en masse, added Hilton.

“At the minute, we are in a temporary situation with so many people at home and not going into the office,” he adds. “I think by September time, when schools go back and people’s lives form more of a regular routine, that might be a key indicator for us to keep an eye on.”