Cooler temperatures and late Easter blamed for fall
The number of shoppers on the high street in March fell 4.2 per cent compared with the same month last year, according to figures from retail analyst FootFall.

The data showed a 0.3 per cent month-on-month decline in footfall compared with February. FootFall said the data is partly a reflection of cooler temperatures and the late start of the Easter school holidays, which traditionally brings in more shoppers.

However, there was a 2.8 per cent increase in footfall for the week ending April 9 compared with the previous week. The rise was attributed to the start of the Easter holidays.

FootFall marketing manager Natasha Burton said: 'Retail sales would benefit from a change in the base rate, which has remained stable at 4.5 per cent. At the same time, increases in non-discretionary spending, such as utility bills, together with slower disposable income growth and rising unemployment, have subdued customer demand.'

Topics