TOWN centre footfall is much higher than expected - with 21 per cent more visitors than projected over a year.

A report for the 2025/26 financial year revealed almost ten million visits had occurred, or 1.6 million more than council bosses expected.

Events such as markets, live entertainment and community and arts festivals have helped attract visitors.

Improvements to public spaces have made the town centre more welcoming and easier to access, helping to build its reputation as a place to visit.

Using data from the ONS and Centre for Cities, 55 locations across six key indicators including business opening rates, closures, retail vacancies, weekend visits, night-time activity and retail jobs per 100,000 residents were assessed.

Barnsley ranked 14th in the list but was the highest-rated in the north of England and the second-best town, just behind Bournemouth.

However, Barnsley’s high weekend activity index - which placed it second in the UK - and its fourth-highest night-time activity scoring saw it pip many cities including Nottingham, Bristol, Nottingham and Leeds.

Councillor Martin Bancroft, cabinet spokesperson for core services, said: “It’s good to see the progress made across Barnsley over the past year, including more people visiting our museums, parks, outdoor sites and the town centre.

“I’d like to thank our staff and partners, as well as our residents, businesses and communities, for the part they’ve all played.”