The association says that extra bank holidays and the Coronation should create more footfall on the high street.
Despite retail sales volumes in the UK falling by 0.9% between February and March, the British Independent Retailers Association has said it is hoping more people will shop on the high streets this month.
In April, figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed that department and clothing stores had suffered during the first quarter due to poor weather, while food shops also saw a drop of 0.7%.
But BIRA hopes that with the run of three bank holidays and the Coronation, there may be an effect on consumer spend. Ceo Andrew Goodacre also urged shops to make the most of the Coronation and give extra effort with windows, marketing and social media.
He said: “I think sectors including leisure, food and hospitality will see a boost over the coming weeks. Generally, bank holidays are not great for the town centres as they tend to be quiet, and parties take customers elsewhere.
“However, this month may be different as I think national events raise morale and put a smile on people’s faces and make them want to go out into our towns and cities. Bank holiday Monday’s may also make up for a quieter shopping Saturday, so we are hopeful for our independents this month that they will see better sales.
“We think that people want to see the colour and celebration that comes with the Coronation and bank holidays so it is really important that shops see the value in adding this to their store front and marketing. Events like the Coronation are always a chance for retailers to focus on British products and the quality. While bank holidays are not always great for larger town centres, events like this do offer people an escape from the current pressures facing consumers. Great weather would be ideal and hopefully it will prove to be a catalyst to people feeling more confident about spending money.”
