September's customer traffic in central London was down 15.8 per cent year on year, while for the Southeast as a whole it was down 6.6 per cent. UK shopper numbers fell by 1.8 per cent year on year and 6.6 per cent compared with August's figures.
SPSL director of knowledge management Dr Tim Denison said: 'It is the unrelenting nature of the squeeze that is causing the pain, rather than it's absolute severity.'
'Over the past couple of months, we have seen the makings of a north/south divide emerge. In the south of the country, the picture is much quieter - it has been now for over 12 months.'
Recent council tax and fuel price rises, together with higher consumer debt, have been felt more keenly in the south. Confidence has also been hit by the July terrorist attacks in London.
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