Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland today insisted things were starting to improve despite the struggling retailer posting an eighth successive quarter of falling clothing sales.

Department stores like the 32 shops that Beales runs are a dying breed. These small-town stores were once the heart of the high street. But, as other old-fashioned retailers have found, cheaper competitors, the internet and modern life have not been kind. Beales has shops from Harrogate to Horsham but its sales growth has been weak, and it reported a loss this year. When it reports its half-year results today, it is likely it will have suffered another tough period, with the inconsistent weather a major problem for many retailers.

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