Although it is one of the selling points of the game, some prefer to play without using the augmented reality mode - claiming this makes it easier to catch Pokémon.Maxwell’s Bar & Grill in Covent Garden, which has been spending £100 a day on lures and dedicated a member of staff to manage the game, says it saw a 26% increase in customers over a single weekend in July. Costa Coffee, which has Wi-Fi in all its outlets, reported a 30% increase in footfall when the game was released (14 July). The retailers themselves also attest to the benefits. It’s a fun way to combat some of the issues around how retailers continue to drive foot traffic.” Indeed, Kate Taylor, a director at Davis Coffer Lyons, goes as far as to say: “In footfall terms, I can’t think of anything else that’s had this effect. The impact has been immediate and dramatic, say agents. There are three main ways retailers have been trying to capitalise on the Pokémon craze, according to Jonathan Bayfield, a senior retail analyst at JLL: by posting tips online about which Pokémon are in the vicinity by providing free Wi-Fi so gamers don’t drain their mobile data and by paying for ‘lures’ - items that attract more Pokémon to a specific location and increase traffic. In footfall terms, I can’t think of anything else that’s had this effect - Jonathan Bayfield, JLL Rarely, though, has anything been seized upon with quite such zeal as Pokémon Go by retailers and landlords alike.īut how much can businesses really benefit from a game they have no control over? And is it worth investing in what could be a flash in the pan? Piggybacking on the latest trends is nothing new for the owners and operators of retail and leisure premises.

I am talking, of course, about Pokémon Go: the global gaming phenomenon that uses augmented reality and geolocation technology to allow users to catch cartoon creatures at the bus stop, in the supermarket and in almost any real-life location, before pitting them against others in gyms. Oh, and it might just help shopping centres battle the threat of online retail. It is also a huge money-spinner, making $200m (£153m) for developer Niantic in its first month alone. Student Accommodation Conference & AwardsĪt one point, it had more daily active users than Twitter.

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