UK retail footfall dips again as Storm Bert and later Black Friday hit sales

Sales were down almost 11% in Leeds during the four weeks to 23 November. Photograph: Richard Saker/The Observer

The number of shoppers out and about in the UK fell for the second month in a row in November as the later timing of the Black Friday discount spree, Storm Bert and weak consumer confidence depressed sales.

Shopping centres were hit hardest, but the number of visitors to high streets and retail parks also fell with the north-east of England, Yorkshire, Wales and Scotland most affected, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic.