Think back to March 2012, the sun was shining and we experienced a mini heat wave towards to end of the month. In fact March 2012 was probably the best month in terms of heat that we had last year. Now look at March 2013, snow, snow and more snow.
Many people may have hoped this March would have been similar the last year’s – even risking it and booking a wedding for that time of year, but they would have been sadly disappointed. But when the weather is cold, wet and snowy many people simply stay inside, after all why venture outside and risk having to abandon your car when you can stay in the warmth of your own home.
This is exactly what shoppers did. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) footfall on high streets in March was down by 7 per cent compared to last year and out-of-town shops were down by 4.2 per cent. But it seemed even shops indoors weren’t safe as shopping centres also saw a drop in visitors in March 2013 of 2.4 per cent.
Speaking of the drop in footfall for retail in March this year, Helen Dickinson, Director General at the BRC, said: “The prolonged cold was the main culprit for deterring shoppers, especially compared against the far milder March of 2012.
“High streets were hit the hardest by the cold snap, as many of us favoured shopping under shelter rather than braving the elements. In February, high streets had been the standout performer, but March saw footfall growth slumping back to sub-zero territory – high streets’ worst result since July 2012.”
Do you go shopping when it’s snowing to avoid the crowds? Or would you rather not risk getting your car stuck and having to abandon it and walk home?
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