Shoppers in trouble for bad weather

Retailers suffered a disappointing final weekend before Christmas as bad weather kept consumers away from the shops, figures suggest. The number of shoppers visiting the High Street on 19 and 20 December was 6.9 % lower than for the weekend before Christmas last year, Experian said. Heavy snowfall in many parts of the country meant shoppers stayed at home. However, some retailers have seen strong trading, with central London shops seeing a big jump in sales. On Sunday, the New West End Company, which represents more than 600 traders in central London, said sales were up 10 % on last year's sluggish trading. Last-minute rush? But across the rest of the UK, heavy snowfall badly affected shoppers' plans for buying presents. "With up to six inches of snow falling in parts of the country, consumers may be waiting until the weather settles before making further shopping outings, as weather forecasters urge people to only make essential trips," said Anita Manan at Experian. This could lead to a big last-minute rush in the final few days before Christmas, as has happened in previous years, she added. The Experian footfall data shows the number of people entering High Street stores, so does not include online shopping. Visa expects to process a new record of more than 17 million transactions in the UK on 23 December, up 16 % from the same day last year. Bad weather aside, some UK retailers have enjoyed a strong run up to Christmas. John Lewis, regarded by some as a gauge of High Street spending in the UK, has reported its third record week in a row. The department store said sales in the week to Saturday 19 December were more than £112 m, up 15.5 % on the same week last year.