Spending at UK department stores has fallen for the 13th consecutive month, according to data from Barclaycard.

Spending in the sector fell 7.1% year on year in November, making it the hardest-hit area of retail over the month.

The fall comes after John Lewis & Partners revealed that sales crashed the week following Black Friday. Total sales at the department store fell 5.9%.

The latest poor department store figures follow Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley, who now owns House of Fraser, admitting that it was getting tougher to achieve his aim of rescuing 80% of the department store’s 59 shops.

Ashley claimed earlier this week that if he managed to save the stores it would be a “god-like performance”, which would require an average rent cut of 50% across the group, with some stores paying nothing.

Overall consumer spending rose 3.3% year on year in November, the lowest growth since March, despite the boost from Black Friday, according to Barclaycard.

Clothing spending declined 2.9%, the biggest fall since October 2017, while spending on household appliances was down by 14%.

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