DIY retailers and garden centres saw outstanding year-on-year growth in the number of shoppers through their doors over the Easter fortnight.
According to the latest Retail Traffic Index (RTI) figures from Ipsos Retail Performance, the sectors enjoyed double-digit footfall growth of 13.2% over the same period in 2013.

The stats, derived from the number of shoppers entering over 4,000 non-food retail stores across the UK, also show that the increase across all stores in the whole of April was just 1.8% year-on-year, but 8.4% higher than in March.

"The figures look good on paper, but overall the monthly results aren't as strong as we had anticipated," commented Dr Tim Denison, director at Ipsos Retail Performance. "To our surprise, footfall over the Easter fortnight fell back by 1.6% on the equivalent period last year.

"The DIY and garden centre sector, however, saw very strong results, benefiting from a late Easter and good weather. The double digit growth on the 2013 fortnight will have certainly put a spring in the step of these retailers, helped also by the strengthening housing market, giving assurance that home improvements are a worthwhile investment once again."

The biggest rise in footfall generally was felt across south west England and Wales. Following the spring floods that hurt traffic earlier in the year, holidaymakers once again flocked westwards over the Easter break, causing shopper numbers to rise by over 17% on March and 5.3% year-on-year.

"There is a sense that the ship has stabilised, its course has been re-established and the retail market is beginning to make headway again," added Dr Denison.

"With wage growth set to remain higher than inflation in the coming months and the increased threshold to personal income tax, people will start noticing a little extra money in their pockets.

"This should spell the end of the so-called 'cost of living crisis' and confirm that the UK retail market is set for growth in 2014."