Furnishing retailers are seeing some signs of recovery after sales rose in July.

Official figures have revealed that retail sales grew by 0.4 per cent that month, with a pick-up in sales of big-ticket items such as furniture, which have been in the doldrums for months.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed a rise of 4.5 per cent in the sale of household goods, with furniture and electrical goods in demand.

It was the biggest increase in that category for almost three years.

Sale of these items are usually linked to house purchases, and recent figures suggest that greater availability of mortgage finance has triggered a rise in the number of people buying homes, albeit from a low base.

Martin Lukehurst, owner of Gerald Lukehurst, a long-established furniture retailer with outlets in Rainham and Sittingbourne, confirmed the trend.

“I would agree with that,” he said. “We have not seen a massive increase but a little bit more spending, especially from the older established market. I detect there is a little movement in the housing market.”

He added: “We’ve had two or three good weeks and I am quite optimistic for the future.” Sales across the board - carpet, furniture, beds - had all gone up.

“I am much more encouraged. Things are not too bad and certainly not getting worse.”