Sales in London took a hit in November as discounts and promotions across retail stores failed to tempt shoppers to spend.

In central London sales were 0.4 per cent down like for like compared with a year ago. However sales remained ahead of the rest of the UK, which was down 2.6 per cent overall.

According to figures from the London Retail Sales Monitor, footfall in November was ahead of last year but weaker than it has been in the past few months.

Homewares, clothing and footwear were all hit particularly hard, while food sales were held up partly due to higher food prices.

Although the raft of discount days and special events attracted people to the capital, they did not always spend and substantial job losses in the City, and the fear of more to come, hit consumer confidence significantly.

BRC director-general Stephen Robertson said: “The economic crisis is hitting confidence in London particularly hard. But the capital’s retailers are responding with high-profile discount days and promotions on a scale I’ve never seen before at this time of year.”

However, shopper numbers over the last weekend have defied the gloom with retailers reporting footfall ahead of expectations.

300,000 shoppers visited London's West End on Saturday and Sunday and the New West End Company estimated£50 million has been spent over the weekend, on a par with last year.

Topics