ROYAL wedding fever coupled with sunny weather and a late Easter helped boost high street spending last month, new figures have revealed.

The marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29 added to shoppers’ “feel good factor,” according to Bournemouth business leader Nigel Hedges.

Retail sales statistics published yesterday show that food store sales were 1.4 per cent higher than a year ago, the highest rise since May 2008.

Other surveys for April, including a report from the British Retail Consortium, suggested that barbecue food featured heavily on shopping lists while the sun shone. Clothing retailers said customers were filling their summer wardrobes while toy sales were driven by outdoor items.

While there was a 1.5 per cent monthly rise in sales at household goods stores, department stores saw a 0.3 per cent decline. Mr Hedges, president of Bournemouth Chamber of Commerce, who runs an engraving business in the town centre, said he wasn’t surprised by the latest retail figures.

He said: “There are some happy retailers around. It’s still tough out there on the high street but it was a fabulous April. I’m seeing more trade than I’ve seen in the past two years and I know other businesses, like Prestige Jewellers in town, who are also doing fine.”

At Brides of Bournemouth bridal salon orders for replicas of Kate Middleton’s much talked about wedding gown, costing £1,200, are now being taken.

Sue Osbourne told the Daily Echo how the royal wedding dress was influencing brides-to-be who are now opting for similar lacy, long-sleeved styles.

Lisa Murray, a senior sales manager at the House of Fraser, said sales had been buoyant during both the royal wedding and bank holiday weekends.

Warren Edwards, 18, a stylist at Toni and Guy hairdressing salon in Bournemouth said customers were opting for similar soft blow-dry styles as Kate and her sister Pippa had chosen for the royal wedding.

At Beales department store £10,000 worth of royal wedding memorabilia had virtually sold out before the big day even dawned, with china plates, bone china mugs, £5 tea towels and £2 fridge magnets in most demand.

But it’s not all good news. Economy expert Howard Archer, warned that the jump in sales volumes should not be taken as a sign that “the consumer is roaring back to life.”

The chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight added: “What it suggests is that pressurised consumers need a particularly favourable set of circumstances to part with their cash.”