Retailers have been left counting the cost of Storm Katie after the wet and windy weather put a dampener on the traditional Easter spending spree.
The long weekend usually heralds the first big trading days since Christmas for the country’s store chains. But retail specialist Springboard, which tracks shopper numbers, said that after a boost from the sunny conditions on Good Friday the number of visits to shopping centres and high streets around the country slumped 6% and 10.5% on Saturday and Monday compared with last Easter.
“Easter Monday is usually the best day for high street retailers because people have finished all their DIY,” said Springboard analyst Diane Wehrle. “However, as Storm Katie swept in, it seems shoppers have chosen to stay at home rather than venturing out into the wind and rain.”
According to its shopping centre index, footfall in shopping centres was down 16% on Monday morning.
The start of the long weekend traditionally offers a fillip to out-of town DIY stores and garden centres before attention turns to the spring fashion ranges that have now arrived on the high street. This year, though, spending patterns have been altered by the early fall of Easter with many households forced to spread their spending over the school holidays, which have only just started.
“Where we are in the budgetary cycle will have hit fashion retailers quite hard,” said Wehrle, adding: “Spring seems quite a long way off today.”
