Unpredictable British weather has yet again been blamed for hurting trade on UK high streets.
According to a report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), footfall recorded in February slumped to the lowest since the pandemic, falling 9.3 per cent against a 2.3 per cent decline the prior month.
Some 23mm of rain fell across the UK on average from the start of February up to and including February 24.
This is 128 per cent more than the average, the Met Office told the Mirror.
This, coupled with strike action from rail workers, has limited shoppers’ ability to get out and spend on the high street.
London was the region most impacted, with footfall sinking over six per cent against a decline of 1.7 per cent recorded the prior month.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “Footfall experienced its biggest fall since the pandemic.
“One of the wettest February on record, exacerbated by train strikes at the start of the month, meant shoppers visited fewer stores, with high streets most affected.”
She said: “London, where footfall had been outperforming other major cities in the UK, saw one of the most significant declines.”
Damp and unseasonable weather has been a sore spot for retailers over last year, with many citing it as the reason for depressed sales.
Already this week, Halford’s issued a profit warning, blaming increased rain fall as one of the reasons.
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for sensormatic solutions, said: “Prior to any energy price cap reduction, and with squeezed spending budgets, the confirmation of the UK’s ‘technical recession’ in 2023 appears to have weakened consumer confidence.
“The wettest February on record probably didn’t help, and even Valentine’s Day, which usually provides a frisson of footfall, failed to woo shoppers into store.
She added: “With the Bank of England signalling the UK’s economy may already be recovering from what it describes as a mild recession, retailers will be hoping signs of an upturn will translate into store traffic and spend, with many looking towards the prospect of an early Easter in March to bring about a change of fortunes.”