Covid: Welsh retailers 'dealt a hammer' by lockdown

The Welsh Retail Consortium said the pre-Christmas lockdown "dealt a hammer" to Welsh retail.

Welsh retailors had a "disastrous end of year" because of the coronavirus pandemic, an industry body has said.

Footfall was down 52.3% in December compared to the previous year, more than the UK average decline of 46.1%.

The Welsh Retail Consortium said businesses had been dealt a "hammer blow" with the pre-Christmas lockdown.

Debbie Corkish, who runs Wizarding Boutique in Llandudno, Conwy, said "it will take years" for her business to recover from lockdowns.

Wales went into a national lockdown on 20 December, following a surge in coronavirus cases, requiring all non-essential shops to close.

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Wales saw the most pronounced year-on-year shopping centre footfall decline of all UK regions, at -59.1%, while footfall in Cardiff decreased by 54% compared to December 2019, according to BRC-ShopperTrak data.

Sara Jones, head of Welsh Retail Consortium, said: "It was a disastrous end to the year for Welsh shops, with the nation experiencing the UK's greatest fall in shopper footfall.

"Any hopes of a golden quarter for Welsh retail were dealt a hammer blow by the early pre-Christmas lockdown, forcing Welsh shops to shut during what should have been their busiest period.

"With the nation now in full lockdown, and so called non-essential shops remaining shuttered, it is time for decision makers to re-group, to re-assess and to identify ways to revitalise the Welsh retail industry given the key role we can play in the economic recovery of the nation."

Debbie Corkish said it is her loyal customers and online sales that kept her afloat in the summer

'Years to recover'

Wizarding Boutique owner Ms Corkish said the financial compensation from the Welsh Government of £3,000 will not cover her losses for the Christmas week alone.

"After the English lockdown ended in December, we took a third of what we had the previous Saturday.

"It's like people forgot that they wanted to shop locally after summer [and] went into Manchester and Liverpool for their Christmas shopping.

"The week before Christmas should have been our busiest day but then lockdown was announced.

"It will take years to recover from last year. Being a tourist town, without tourists businesses just can survive. I dread to know what Llandudno is going to look like when all of this is over."