London's retailers have been hit by a sharper fall in shopper numbers than previously thought, and the city is in danger of losing its position as an international retail destination.
Footfall has fallen by 11.14 per cent in the congestion charge zone in the 34 weeks since the charge was introduced, compared with the same period last year. The figures are from the FootFall Index, the official provider of shopper figures to the Greater London Authority and Transport for London.
The data is more alarming than that from traffic monitor SPSL, which said footfall has fallen by 4.4 per cent.
BRC director general Bill Moyes said: 'It has been an incredibly bad year for tourism. We've had the Gulf war, Sars and a fear of terrorism.'
But he also blamed London's bad business environment.
'If we don't tackle these problems, there is a peril that London will lose its position as a vibrant, diverse retail capital,' added Moyes.
FootFall marketing manager David Smyth said the drop relates to the number of shoppers visiting the most popular stores, such as health and beauty, clothing and footwear. However, he stressed that it is too early to blame the fall solely on the congestion charge.
Next Tuesday, Retail Week is staging a major conference to address the London slump.
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