Shoppers ditch the High Street as wettest July on record dampens footfall 

As wet weather sweeps the UK, the number of people heading out to the shops fell for the first July in 14 years. 

July has been one of the wettest months on record and overall footfall fell by 0.3%, retail analysis firm Springboard said. 

High Streets were hit the hardest whilst shopping centres and retail parks got a boost in visitor numbers. 

The rising cost of living and rail strikes are also in part to blame for the fall in footfall, Springboard said. They say shoppers might stay away until the weather improves. 

“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 Springboard’s Diane Wehrle.

Ms Wehrle said High Street footfall declined in part “due to the rain, as shoppers tend to gravitate towards either the covered environments of shopping centres or retail parks as they are easier to access by car.”