Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJosie ClarkeFriday 07 August 2026 02:39 BSTEngland and Wales suffer driest July on record in summer of extreme weatherTotal UK retail footfall decreased by 2.1 per cent year-on-year in July, showing an improvement from June's 3.4 per cent drop.High streets were particularly impacted, experiencing a 3.8 per cent decline, while shopping centres saw a 1.4 per cent decrease.Persistent heatwave conditions deterred shoppers, with London registering a significant 5.3 per cent fall in footfall due to soaring temperatures.British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson linked the decline to extreme temperatures caused by climate change, calling for a review of business rates.Sensormatic data revealed that six of the first seven months of this year have performed worse than the same period last year, largely due to the exceptionally hot and dry weather.In fullRetailers yet to feel ‘Burnham bounce’ as heatwave keeps shoppers awayMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in