Strong sales of party food and clothes ahead of the Diamond Jubilee helped struggling stores keep their heads above water in June.
Like-for-like sales rose 1.4% over the month, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), with the Jubilee sparking the strongest week for grocery sales since Easter.
But the rest of the month proved challenging as the wettest June on record kept shoppers at home and dented demand for barbecues and garden items, while even home improvement failed to gain a boost.
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