Christmas trading in Cannock slumps by 3pc

Christmas trading in Cannock has slumped by nearly three per cent on last year's figures despite the harsh winter of 2010, it was revealed today.

Natal Chapman, who runs Cannock Shopping Centre, says initial figures show a 2.8 per cent dip on the 2010 Christmas period, despite footfall through the town going up by 27 per cent.

Mrs Chapman says she is optimistic, blaming the state of the nation's economy. She added: "Trading was down on the same period last year, but we have been up on the last five months.

"Based on last year's figures we are down by 2.8 per cent, but we are up on the previous months figures by 3.1 per cent, and that month we saw an improvement on the previous month by another 1.1 per cent."

"I haven't got monthly figures, but if looking at week-by-week, at the week leading up to Christmas, commencing December 19, footfall was up by 27 per cent."

Mrs Chapman says it is great to see an increase in people coming to the town, but people are not putting their hands in their pockets.

She added: "People are just browsing and not spending as much – people do not have such a high amount of disposable income."

Another factor affecting this year's sales was the long and cold winter in 2010, according to Mrs Chapman.

She said: "I think people have been spending a bit early, not waiting for the last minute in case of the weather turning bad.

"There was no last minute panic buying as many expected."

Nationally, figures from the British Retail Consortium show that, despite significant increases in Christmas footfall, aggressive discounting and extended opening hours, retailers' December revenues failed to beat 2010's figures. Across the UK high street footfall was up by an average of 18.4 per cent between December 19 and 28.