Fewer shoppers are visiting local high streets as people count their pennies amid the cost of living crisis.

As new statistics suggest high street struggles - while some business are flourishing, many in Beccles and Bungay are noticing fewer people shopping in Waveney.

Statistics published by Springboard showed that footfall across the UK in July had fallen to under pre-pandemic levels, at a decrease of 14pc in July compared with 2019.

This has halted the momentum made by shops in April, as they faced a huge battle to entice shoppers amid a record-breaking heatwave during July, surging inflation which has hit a 27-year high, and the cost of living crisis.

Andrew and Angela Leggett-Bond, owners of The Chocolate Box in Bungay on St Mary's Street, said they had had noticed a decline in footfall across the town.

Mrs Leggett-Bond said: "We are in the height of the school holidays. This usually is our busy time, but people don't seem to be about.

"Town seems to be so quiet, the closed businesses surrounding our shop aren't helping, this street used to be full of shoppers," she said.

However, the same data does show that across the UK, footfall compared with the same month last year had increased by 15.6pc.

Shop worker Leo Nouraikia at Pavillion greengrocers in Beccles said: "We still have lots of tourists wandering about in Beccles.

"Town is rather busy, but not what it was, so we probably have less people actually coming in and buying.

"Business in the very first lockdown was actually very good, but now maybe more people are ordering fruit and veg online now."

Several shop owners in both towns, urged that local town councils should do more to protect businesses and to encourage people to shop in town to prevent the collapse of the high street.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Steve Lee in his shop, Antiques at Four, in Blyburgate, Beccles.Steve Lee in his shop, Antiques at Four, in Blyburgate, Beccles. (Image: Denise Bradley/Archant 2022)

Steve Lee, owner of Antiques at Four, in Beccles, believes shoppers could be tempted back into town by cheaper parking.

He said: "I think people are cautious after the pandemic and would prefer to not spend that extra few pounds on things such as parking in order to save money, it is really tough for everyone at the moment.

"People have become comfortable shopping online, incentives such as free or cheaper parking and social media training for businesses who lack an online platform are things the high street could really benefit from."

One shop owner in Beccles, who previously owned a business in Bungay, suggested that Beccles is doing better than Bungay because it has more corporate businesses intertwined with independent businesses.

She said: "There are minimal reasons to go to Bungay. There are no longer any banks there so people from there have to come to Beccles to do their banking.

"In Beccles we also have a Wetherspoons right in the town centre which, like it or loathe it, brings people to the town day and night.

"The independent businesses then feed and thrive off the extra footfall, which probably wouldn't be here if Greggs, QD, Co-op and Spoons weren't in town."

Didy Ward, chair of the Bungay Events and Business Association, insists the group are doing what they can to support local businesses on the high street.

She said: "Hospitality issues are primarily in recruitment. There are jobs going, but people don't appear to be interested.

"We at the business association as a whole try and bring footfall numbers into the town through events and initiatives.

"We have a new food and drink street market coming to town in October which will give St Marys and Earsham Street businesses revenue and footfall, attracting thousands into the town.

"Rising fuel costs, energy prices and inflation is out of our hands, but we also are introducing a 'totally local' initiative to encourage businesses to work collaboratively, a rising sea lifts all boats," she said.

She said an example of businesses working collaboratively in Bungay is the Green Dragon and Earsham Street Fish mongers running an Oyster Bar and Live Jazz event this Sunday.