Fashion retailers have reported mixed fortunes over the Easter holiday weekend, as the wintry weather and early fall of Easter led to volatile sales.

According to BDO Stoy Hayward, fashion retailers’ like-for-like sales rose 4.35 per cent for the week to Easter Monday.

However, the chief executive of a value retailer said trading over Good Friday and Saturday had been “awful”.

The finance director of a fashion retailer said: “Performance is very patchy at the moment. We are confident that when the sun does come out it will make people feel good and forget the credit crunch.”

Data from shopper traffic monitor Footfall showed shopper numbers over the Easter weekend rose 6.8 per cent against Easter last year.

However, it warned that the weekend was more than 18 per cent down against the non-Easter weekend last year.

New Look managing director, marketing, operations and international, Carl McPhail said that “retailers are just trying to keep stock tight”.

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