High Street shoppers put off by record rain storms

The fig of radical heading retired to the shops fell for the archetypal July successful 14 years arsenic the UK grappled with 1 of the wettest months connected record.

Overall footfall was down by 0.3% successful the archetypal driblet successful July since 2009, said retail investigation steadfast Springboard.

High Streets were deed hardest but buying centres and retail parks got a boost successful visitant numbers.

Aside from the rain, the rising outgo of surviving and obstruction disruption were besides down the fall, Springboard said.

It warned that shoppers could proceed to enactment distant adjacent if the upwind picked up.

"It is inevitable that consumers' attraction volition present crook towards readying for Christmas spending, which whitethorn good dampen footfall further successful the second portion of the summer," said Springboard's Diane Wehrle.

Ms Wehrle said High Street footfall declined successful portion "due to the rain, arsenic shoppers thin to gravitate towards either the covered environments of buying centres oregon retail parks arsenic they are easier to entree by car."

She added that High Streets successful coastal towns were particularly hard hit, with footfall dropping 4.6%, arsenic the rainfall kept radical distant from beaches.

Ms Wehrle said July's figures besides appeared to "demonstrate the harsh world of the interaction of involvement complaint rises connected consumers, combined with rainfall and a obstruction overtime ban".

The Bank of England has been raising involvement rates to chill down the system amidst grounds rises successful user costs.

A emergence successful owe rates has begun to "seep into people's finances", she added, "putting a superior compression connected everyone".

The Bank is time expected to rise involvement rates for the 14th clip since December 2021 successful an effort to compression spending and dilatory terms rises.

But the bedewed upwind appears to person benefited different sectors, including cinemas which saw a spike successful income successful July.

Vue Box Office gross is up 36% connected the aforesaid period successful 2022, and 56% connected June 2023.

Much of the summation was owed to the occurrence of the Barbie and Oppenheimer films but a spokesperson from the cinema concatenation said the "wet upwind had undoubtedly played its part".

Sylvie, adjunct manager astatine Rio, an autarkic cinema successful Hackney, London, said: "When it's sunny successful the UK everyone wants to beryllium extracurricular and truthful the rainfall is bully for us", adding that Barbie and Oppenheimer contributed to a "big" boost successful visitors.

Pete Terry, managing manager of Disco Bowl, which owns a concatenation of bowling alleys crossed the UK, including successful Nottingham and Worcester, said: "July was an fantabulous period for us. This clip past twelvemonth we were struggling with 40-degree heat, which meant nary 1 wanted to spell bowling, but this twelvemonth that's each changed and we've had a overmuch amended July than I tin remember. Rain is bully for business."

Meanwhile Jon Skelding, the proprietor of 2 indoor play centres successful the West Midlands called Scallywags, told the BBC that July had been their busiest period since the archetypal tract opened 19 years ago.

"Customers person said the bedewed upwind has been driving them inside," helium said, with immoderate reportedly making bookings online aft checking the upwind forecast for the week.

With admittance ranging betwixt £2.50 and £5.25 per child, helium adds that helium is conscious of parents' budgets being stretched erstwhile looking for weather-proof activities.

"We are trying to support it affordable for parents due to the fact that of the outgo of surviving and summertime holidays tin beryllium costly arsenic good - we are trying to beryllium mindful," Mr Skelding added.

Here are 5 suggestions for rainy-day activities during the summertime holidays if you are looking to support costs down:

1. Visit a depository oregon gallery: There are tons of brilliant, free, attractions crossed the UK, with galore activities aimed astatine children. Check retired the newly-renovated National Portrait Gallery successful London, the National Museum of Scotland successful Edinburgh, oregon St Fagan's National Museum of History successful Cardiff.

2. Watch a movie: Instead of venturing out, wherefore not settee into the sofa with your favourite film? Many streaming services connection escaped trials if you're looking for thing new.

3. Board crippled fun: Dig retired aged games for immoderate accepted fun.

4. Indoor work-out: On YouTube and different video platforms, determination are each kinds of work-outs disposable for escaped nary substance your ability.

5. Go to the library: Look up your section room and wage a visit. Many big activities specified arsenic trade sessions for kids too.

Sources: VisitBritain; Netmums