Shops suffered their worst year in at least a quarter of a century as sales fell for the first time.

In a sign of the trouble affecting the High Street, total retail sales in stores and online fell by 0.1 per cent in 2019, figures from accountants KPMG and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show.

It was the first decrease since records began in 1995 and followed a 1.2 per cent rise in 2018.

High Street crisis: Total retail sales in stores and online fell by 0.1 per cent in 2019, figures from KPMG and the British Retail Consortium show

The three months before Christmas were particularly poor, with non-food sales falling 1.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2018.

Supermarkets have also struggled, with recent figures showing that Christmas spending increased at its slowest rate since 2015.

The BRC said Black Friday week has now overtaken the week before Christmas as the biggest shopping period of the year for non-food items.

The decline in consumer sentiment, combined with rising costs on rents, business rates and wages, has pushed 249 large retailers into administration in the last two years, according to Deloitte's insolvency figures.

These included Mothercare, Forever 21 and Bonmarche, as well as Mamas & Papas and Jack Wills, which were sold in pre-pack administrations.

Last month 11 companies folded, up from seven in the same month in 2018.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: '2019 was the worst year since our records began in 1995 and the first year to show an overall decline in retail sales. This was also reflected in the shop closures and job losses.

'Twice the UK faced the prospect of a No Deal Brexit. Consumers became both more cautious and more conscientious as they went about their Christmas shopping.

'It is essential the Government makes good on its promise to review, and then reform, the broken business rates system.'

Ted Baker's lenders ask experts for help Ted Baker’s lenders have hired advisers to carry out an independent review of the troubled British fashion retailer to assess its prospects. Restructuring experts from FTI Consulting have been appointed by Barclays and RBS. It comes a month after Ted Baker descended deeper into chaos following its third profit warning in 2019. Forecasts were downgraded to between £5million and £10million for the full-year. Company founder Ray Kelvin quit last March and external investigators were called in last month after it overstated inventory by as much as £25million. The update has left the business valued at just £153million. Ted Baker, FTI Consulting, RBS and Barclays declined to comment last night.

The gloomy numbers were gathered from many of the UK's largest retailers and represent around two-thirds of the sector.

Sales in November and December, the crucial period when shops make most of their money, fell 0.9 per cent in 2019, compared with the same period a year ago.

The BRC has repeatedly blamed high business rates for tipping struggling companies into administration.

The Mail's Save Our High Streets campaign has called for reform to the system.

Boris Johnson announced short-term relief to half a million smaller retailers worth £320million in December, as well as a full review to start sometime after the Budget in March.

Yesterday, Shoe Zone, which has over 500 stores in the UK, blamed erratic business rates for a 14 per cent fall in profits to £9.8million.

Bosses said its rates bill, as a proportion of its rent bill, had more than doubled in the last decade, adding that it had risen by £700,000.

Its shares fell on the back of the news by 2.8 per cent, or 4.5p, to close at 157.5p last night.

There was some better news for the leisure industry. Cinema sales increased by 19 per cent as Star Wars and Frozen 2 drew in crowds, while spending in pubs and on takeaways was up 11.7 per cent and 12.5 per cent respectively over the festive period, according to data from Barclaycard.

Esme Harwood, director at Barclaycard, claimed that consumer confidence is 'finally improving after a long period of political uncertainty'.