High street chain Next blamed unseasonably warm weather for a 'disappointing' performance in the run-up to Christmas as it posted a fall in store sales and sharp slowdown in its Directory business.

%image(14841150, type="article-full", alt="File photo dated 26/12/15 of a shopper carrying a Next bag in Nottingham, as the High Street chain blamed unseasonably warm weather for a "disappointing" performance in the run-up to Christmas as it posted a fall in store sales and sharp slowdown in its Directory business. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday January 5, 2016. The retailer said full-price sales fell 0.5% across its stores in the 60 days to December 24, while sales across its Next Directory online and catalogue arm lifted 2%. See PA story CITY Next. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire")

The retailer said full-price sales fell 0.5pc across its stores in the 60 days to December 24, while sales across its Next Directory online and catalogue arm lifted 2pc.

Next said its trading woes were compounded by poor stock availability from October and tougher online competition.

Its worse-than-expected festive performance means the group expects full-year profits to come in towards the bottom end of its forecast, at £817m, although this would still be a 4.4pc hike on the previous year.

Next, which holds off from discounting until Boxing Day, said that, while the warm weather was the main reason for its disappointing trading, 'we would not want to allow difficult trading conditions to mask any mistakes and challenges faced by the business'.

It added: 'Specifically, we believe that Next Directory's disappointing sales were compounded by poor stock availability from October onwards.

'In addition, the online competitive environment is getting tougher as industry-wide service propositions catch up with the Next Directory.'

The overall performance for full-price brand sales across stores and Directory were 0.4pc higher for the 60 days to Christmas Eve - a sharp slowdown on the 3.3pc hike seen in its half-year to July.

This has left sales for the year to date up 3.7pc, running below previous guidance, although the group said its move not to discount ahead of Christmas meant its full-year profit range was maintained at between £810m and £845m.

Next said its central full-year profit forecast of £817m had been revised following the Christmas performance, but did not reveal its previous guidance.

The group also guided for overall brand sales across its 540 stores and Directory arm for the year to January 2017 to be between 1pc and 6pc higher.

Next is the first of the major retailers to unveil festive trading figures and sets the scene for what is expected to have been a tough Christmas for clothing chains after mild weather in November and December.

The unusual weather conditions led to widespread discounting on the high street as stores looked to shift stock in the run-up to Christmas.

Department store chain John Lewis will reveal how it fared tomorrow, while high street bellwether Marks & Spencer gives its verdict on festive trading on Thursday.

The warmest December on record is expected to have led to more sales pain for M&S in its general merchandise and clothing arm, with the City pencilling in a 2pc drop in the division over its third-quarter.

But sales in the division may have plunged by as much as 5.5pc, according to one broker.