Hard times in deserted High Street

Depressing news for the High Street yesterday when a host of retailers announced their sales figures for the six months to the end of September.

Boots sales are up just 0.7%, fashion website Asos up 8%, sofa seller DFS down 2.2% and pub chain Wetherspoons 1.1%. As a cross section of what we buy it's a pretty good indication of the health of the economy – beauty and health items, clothes, furniture and booze.