Homeowners go shopping in the rain

Aug 11 2009 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

FURNITURE retailers saw their best growth in three years during July as the housing market and wet weather lifted business, says a new report.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said the largely cooler, wetter second half of the month turned the attention of shoppers indoors, helping sales of furniture and homewares after several months in the doldrums.

Across the retail sector, sales in July were 1.8% higher than a year ago on a like-for-like basis, despite a slowing in growth in food and clothing as heatwave conditions were replaced by wet weather.

BRC director general Stephen Robertson said: “July showed us both sides of the British summer and gave some parts of retailing a much-needed boost.”

As well as the poor weather and tentative signs of recovery in the housing market, the BRC noted that furniture and homeware departments were boosted by people using holidays to improve their homes rather than to go away.

Sales in the furniture and floor coverings sector showed the best growth since May 2006, although this was achieved against a very low base in July last year.

Home accessories and house textiles also reported a strong uplift, helped by strong demand for clearance bargains.