Poor weather and the increase in VAT pushed the number of shoppers down by 3.9 per cent in Yorkshire and 2.6 per cent across the UK in January, according to the latest Footfall report by business data specialist Experian.
The North East, North West and East Midlands all fared worst and two regions – Wales and the South West and the Eastern Regions – saw an increase in the number of shoppers.
Experian managing consultant ,Peter Gutmann, said: "In terms of retail sales
volumes, we believe January's figures once released will highlight a testing month given the bad weather in the first two weeks, a higher VAT rate - which would have encouraged spending to be brought forward ahead of the January 1 deadline - and a surge in inflation.
"More worrying challenges for retailers lie further on the horizon.
"The likely increase in taxes and interest rates will mean the removal of two key props to incomes over the past year and it is questionable whether employment and wages will make up for the shortfall."
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