July’s heatwaves kept UK shoppers away from high street

Visits down 3.8% after 6.2% fall in June, with many choosing to buy online instead, research for retail body finds

Shoppers stayed away from UK high streets during last month's heatwave temperatures, with many choosing to buy online instead as the mercury in some areas rose into the mid-30Cs.

Trips to high streets were down by 3.8% year on year in July after a 6.2% fall in June, according to research from the monitoring firm Sensormatic for the British Retail Consortium (BRC).