In May 2007, the increase was 6.3 per cent and this year’s rise was also much stronger than the 1.9 per cent gain in the UK as a whole.
Retail footfall also rose more than it did last year, again bolstered by the warm weather and promotions.
“Central London sales growth rose to its highest rate since February as summery weather finally arrived in early May. Shopper numbers were up on a year ago, thanks to sun and Sales bargains,” said BRC director-general Stephen Robertson.
“But it may be that central London gains were partly offset elsewhere as high petrol prices discouraged Londoners from travelling to shopping centres further afield. Consumer confidence continued to fall in London, although higher average incomes and more tourists meant the fall was less than for the UK as a whole.”
Clothing and footwear sales got a lift after several very difficult months. Homewares – especially big-ticket items such as furniture – remained tough, continuing to be affected by the weak housing market.
KPMG head of retail Helen Dickinson said: “Once again, we see a wide variation in individual retailer performance across the capital.
“Many have taken advantage of the tough economic backdrop to bring forward high levels of promotional activity to drive footfall and increase sales, such that the overall picture, on the face of it, appears pretty resilient. Whether this is sustainable and what the cost is to the margins of some of the retailers operating in central London will only become apparent in the coming months.”
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