In 2007, May ushered in the start of a year of dismal weather for retailers. After a stunning April, the rains started in May and never went away until autumn, which was balmy. 2008 started miserably and an arctic Easter did nothing for the spring/summer ranges.
It’s often said that you make your own luck in business, but no one can do anything about the weather. This week’s fine conditions represent a long overdue turn in fortune and have given retailers, particularly in fashion and DIY, a chance to start clawing back some of the huge like-for-like losses of the past few months.
The early fall of Easter has made meaningful comparisons hard to come by, so this month, with better weather than last year, will allow for a genuine assessment of the impact of the economic downturn.
The woes of retailers at the moment are about more than the weather and the outlook remains uncertain. But now is the time for retailers to capitalise on pent-up demand – literally time to make hay while the sun shines.
London calling
While taming the gangs of youths who roam the capital shooting each other might be higher up his list of priorities, Boris Johnson must take action to revive the West End as a retail destination. His predecessor Ken Livingstone talked a good game, but failed to make any difference to the disgrace that is Oxford Street and he can’t take the credit for the Crown Estate’s transformation of Regent Street.
Westfield London’s opening is just months away and, as we revealed last week, the centre has secured a remarkable line-up of tenants. For the long-term good of the West End, Johnson needs to get to work right away.
Do you think Boris Johnson will be good for retail in London? Vote in our poll at retail-week.com
No comments yet