Footfall on UK high streets dropped 1.4 per cent in the 12 months to April, with shopping centres experiencing a 0.9 per cent drop.

But figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show out of town locations booming, with a four per cent increase of shopper traffic year-on-year.

On a regional basis, Northern Ireland reported the biggest increase in footfall, with activity climbing 12.8 per cent.

Other brighter news came in the form of a drop in the number of shop vacancies in town centres. The national vacancy rate dropped to 10.6 per cent, from 11 per cent in January.

Helen Dickinson, BRC director general, said: "Hopefully the flat footfall growth witnessed in April will prove short-lived, coming as it does after a favourable expansion the month before.

"As we saw with our retail sales data released last week, purchases of big ticket items such as furniture, gardening, DIY and materials for revamping the home performed well, off the back of a pick-up in the housing market.”