Record rainfall means the High Street suffered from the worst July in 14 years:
Footfall dropped by 0.3% between June and July this year, representing the first contraction in July trading since 2009, according to retail analysis firm Springboard.
Springboard said the cost of living crisis and rail strikes also contributed to a lacklustre month for the High Street, predicting shoppers may stay away even if August proves to be drier. "With… many holidays either paid for or taken, it is inevitable that consumers' attention will now turn towards planning for Christmas spending, which may well dampen footfall further in the latter part of the summer," said the firm's Insights Director Diane Wehrle.High Streets in coastal towns suffered particularly badly – with footfall dropping by 4.6% – as the rain kept Britons away from beaches.
Wehrle added how mortgage rates were beginning to "seep into people's finances… putting a serious squeeze on everyone."
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