Marks sends out the headhunters

RETAILERS are feeling a chill wind on the High Street. Marks & Spencer is hunting for a new clothing boss, amid fears its Christmas sales of clothing are down 10%. Others are also suffering. Shopper numbers fell 6% last weekend.

Headhunters working for M&S are known to have approached New Look chief executive Stephen Sunnucks and former Debenhams chief Belinda Earl. They are also looking for candidates overseas.

Marks wants to bolster its team quickly to deflect criticism when investors are updated on Christmas sales in January.

A new heavyweight clothing boss would raise questions about the future of M&S's clothing director David Norgrove and womenswear director Steve Longdon.

Researcher FootFall said the number of people in shopping centres last weekend was down 6% on last year. Numbers for the whole week were down 5.4%.

Retailers, who have already cut prices sharply, will be praying for a last minute rush.

The average employee will have to work for 52 minutes to pay for Christmas dinner, said the Transport and General Workers' Union.

Retail executives will have an easier time. The union reckons Arcadia boss Philip Green earns the price of 27 Christmas dinners for every minute he works.