THE hot summer has left some Bolton traders under a cloud.

While some have reported record sales since June, others claim the sunshine has sent shoppers to the beach, rather than into the stores.

Fancy goods store, Eureka on Newport Street, reported its best business year to date.

Manager John Dzaidzic said: "Our trade has been up to 20 per cent up on last year. While temperatures were in the mid 70s it was fantastic and trade was very buoyant."

Bolton Market Hall reported an increase in the number of shoppers through the doors. A spokesman said: "There has definitely been an increase in business during the hot weather. There have been more people through the doors, especially on Sundays."

Whitakers Department Store said more people had been shopping in their store.

Senior manager Alison Cash said: "We've had a lot more people coming into the store as a result of the warm weather."

But other town centre businesses reported the numbers of shoppers dropped as people took advantage of the weather to take holiday breaks and socialise.

Rod Neasham, Centre Manager of Crompton Shopping Centre, said: "The extreme weather conditions has seen numbers of people shopping in the centre fall, although the demand for summer wear has risen."

And Paul Green, manager of Tribe clothing store on Bank Street, said that in his experience, bad weather was actually better for business.

He said: "When the weather is nice, people want to shop less as they tend to go out for the day and socialise more. On a rainy day, if anyone is out shopping they are usually out to spend to cheer themselves up with a treat such as a new outfit."

Other shops say they saw a slight drop in sales as a result of stocking autumn and winter ranges.

Sara Tattersall, owner of DB3 Fashions in the Market Place said: "At the moment our lines include back to school coats and knitwear.

"Two weeks ago when the weather was very hot these were not the items people were looking to buy, so we saw a slight loss in business.

"In general, the good weather has meant a dip in sales this year, but hopefully things will be back to normal now it is cooling down."

Bolton Town Centre Company Manger, Cathy Savage said: "The particularly hot weather must have affected some shops adversely, but I am sure there aren't any operating at a loss.

"Overall the trend seems to be in line with the national average.

"People will obviously have been spending their days off in the garden or on day trips, but the town centre has remained busy simply because of the fact that it is the school holidays."

the weather conditions had seen a drop in the number of shoppers coming into the mall.

"People also tend to spend more on entertainment and drinking when the sun is out and they have to cut back on clothes spending it seems."