Traders are short on festive cheer (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Traders are short on festive cheer

CHRISTMAS trading is looking increasingly grim for retailers. New figures released by the CBI show high street sales are falling at their fastest rate for at least 22 years.

The employer's organisation said sales in November were heavily down on a year ago and even worse than the previous record low in September.

John Longworth, the director of Asda and the chairman of the CBI's survey panel, said: "Any hopes retailers had of an early Christmas present have been dashed.

"Consumers have been extremely reluctant to spend money and shops will be crossing their fingers that the predicted cold spell and the approach of Christmas drives people through their doors and gets the tills ringing."