West End sales rise 10 per cent

There was good news for retailers in the capital as they approached the critical Christmas shopping season, as research found that sales in the West End were almost 10 per cent higher in August than a year earlier.

The lift, according to numbers tracked by the retail analysts Springboard, compared with a 1 per cent rise across the UK. Jace Tyrrell, from New West End Company, said the sales in London had beaten expectations, adding: "Despite high-value pre-Ramadan shoppers returning home earlier this year on the 11th, sustained international shopper presence has again driven home another excellent month for West End retail."