The temperature is likely to be balmy this week — it could reach 16C in some places on Thursday. While the unseasonably mild spell is great news for motorists, it is bad news for retailers.
Halfords, which specialises in bicycles and car parts in 460 high street shops and retail parks, is among those expected to suffer. Mild weather and dry evenings mean that motorists will not be shopping for windscreen wipers or antifreeze.
Halfords is already suffering from higher petrol prices, which is currently averaging qbout 130p a litre, according to government data. Cash-conscious drivers will cut down on miles if they have to pay more for fuel.
All this does little to help Halfords, which said last week that profits had fallen by