Footfall down by as much as 20 per cent
London is still suffering from the aftermath of July's terrorist attacks, according to customer traffic monitor SPSL. The analyst said footfall for the city was down 15 per cent in the first week of August, compared with the same period last year.

Since the start of July, numbers have been down by between 10 per cent and 20 per cent. SPSL director of knowledge management Dr Tim Denison noted that numbers began to recover quickly after the bomb attacks on July 7, only to fall again after those of July 21.

He said: 'It seems that day trippers and tourists, so important during the holiday season, are being put off visiting London's shops, particularly at weekends and on Thursdays. Retailers in central London are definitely suffering and sustained recovery of shopper numbers looks no nearer now than just after July 21.'