Norfolk brewer says wet weather is dealing hospitality a blow at the worst time
The high street led the decline in footfall with a 4.5% slump
A beer brewer in Norfolk is telling us says the recent horrid weather is dealing a blow to the local hospitality sector, just when they're hoping to cash in ahead of the winter months.
It's as national research has found that the recent heavy rainfall fuelled a drop in the number of us hitting the shops last month, with footfall across the UK said to be down by 3% in September.
"Something that ultimately means reduced sales"
David Holliday is from Norfolk Brewhouse, based near Fakenham: "I was always told in business to never blame the weather, but it does have an impact on retail and hospitality.
"With customers preferring staying at home, that means reduced footfall, which results in reduced spending - something that ultimately means reduced sales.
"Consumer confidence is going to be hit hard by this month's rise in energy bills, there's no question. If people feel good they're going to spend money, if people feel miserable it depresses expenditure - there's no doubt."
Numbers in more detail:
The high street led the decline in footfall with a 4.5% slump, while shopping centres and retail parks suffered less severely with 1.4% and 1.6% drops respectively.
Compared with 2023, footfall was up across all destinations by a marginal 0.1% in September, driven by a 2.6% rise in retail parks and a 0.5% increase in shopping centres, while high street footfall fell by a modest 1.2%.
September saw consumer confidence suffer its biggest setback since March, according to GfK, falling by seven points to minus 20.
MRI Springboard also said the sharp drop in confidence "may well" be attributed to concerns about the general economic situation over the next 12 months, with confidence sitting at minus 27 compared with minus 29 last year.
"Caution may well increase"
MRI Springboard said: "With energy bills set to rise and uncertainty around the autumn Budget, consumer caution may well increase and should be monitored closely by retailers as preparations for the golden quarter get under way."