Figures showing an alarming slump in footfall in Belfast city centre provide an indication of the commercial impact of the devastating Primark fire.
According to information published by the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium and Springboard, the footfall in the city centre was down by 30 per cent in the weeks following the blaze on August 28.
This is a very significant drop which underlines the scale of the challenge facing traders in the aftermath of the fire which has left the Bank Buildings a charred shell.
A cordon has been placed around the gutted building amid ongoing concerns for the safety of the public, effectively cutting what was once a busy shopping and transport thoroughfare in two.
Fourteen businesses within the perimeter have been unable to trade and those just outside the barriers have also suffered a dramatic decline in custom.
Some are in streets that have no through route meaning that people are not passing by as they used to.
As the evidence of the latest figures clearly demonstrate, a considerable number of shoppers have been deterred from coming into the city which is bad news for all traders as we head into the crucial Christmas period.
The cordon is obviously part of the problem as is the absence of a Primark store, which has always been a major draw for shoppers.
There were hopes that the cordon could be reduced as soon as practicable to allow pedestrian access to Castle Junction but a plan put forward by Primark for this to happen within weeks has been rejected by Belfast City Council on safety grounds.
Efforts to alleviate what is plainly a difficult situation must continue with a sense of urgency.
Ideally safety concerns can be addressed and the cordon lifted in some areas, easing the pressure on businesses.
In the meantime, the public can help by showing their support for beleaguered traders and coming into the city centre to visit shops, restaurants and cafes.
