RETAILERS in Exeter are hoping for a late surge in takings as they face the toughest pre-Christmas trading conditions many can remember.

With families increasingly strapped for cash, the all-important festive season is proving to be an anxious time for many shopkeepers.

Elsa Crowther, sales assistant at Long Tall Sally in Sidwell Street, said: "Sales have not been as good as usual. We're down compared to this time last year.

"We're having to put a few things on sale already, which we wouldn't normally do. Sales start before Christmas these days and people have cottoned on to it so they wait longer to buy items because they know they will come down in price. That behaviour is frustrating for us but completely understandable – we're all shoppers."

The challenge for shops was illustrated by recent figures from the CBI showing high street sales volumes fell on a year ago in November, for the sixth consecutive month, with retailers expecting another decline in December. And Visa Europe's monthly UK Expenditure Index showed overall consumer spending fell 0.4 per cent year-on-year during November, while online spending was up 5.7 per cent year-on-year.

David Bishop, a partner in Pianoroom on Sidwell Street, said: "We've got a battle going on with the internet. Sometimes customers gain from our experience and then go online to buy, which I believe is immoral. People should support independent shops because we deliver great service and longer guarantees."

He added: "The pattern every year is so different but things are starting to pick up."

Exeter city centre manager John Harvey said: "These are tough times. We are going through one of the toughest economic periods that any of us can recall, and clearly Exeter is not immune from these national trends.

"If as a consumer you hear negativity in relation to the state of the UK economy every time you turn on the TV or radio, that does have an impact on judgements you make as to how you are going to spend in the run-up to Christmas.

"But within that context the picture for Exeter would appear to be that our shops are performing well against other stores in their group, regionally as well as nationally. As an example, I had a meeting this week with a Sidwell Street retailer who said they are slightly down on last year but within their company they are actually one of the best performing units. That's a picture that seems to be reflected in the messages I'm getting."

Some city centre shops, such as Inside Out in Princesshay, are reporting steady sales as the Christmas lights help to attract shoppers.

Store manager Amanda Leach said: "Sales are on a par with last year and, although we've been really busy since late October, we've had to work harder to provide what the customer wants. Because we're an independent shop, we don't have the power to make big price reductions so we have to be careful with the stock that we buy."

She added: "I think that the lights are such a big part of the festive atmosphere."

Ian Taylor, assistant manager at the Real Food Store in Paris Street, said: "We're very busy at the moment and we've noticed that things have really picked up in the last week. Late-night openings are great for us and since the lights came on the mood has changed.

"We were a bit worried in September, as things were really slow. However, it seems they were waiting and saving for Christmas because sales are great now."