Supermarket group Morrisons has stopped window cleaning at its stores until its year end as declining sales put pressure on the group’s finances.

An email seen by the Telegraph newspaper said that the retailer was placing a ban on window cleaning at its stores until February 2nd as it is facing a “tough end of year” although a spokesperson said that the phrase refers to the group’s maintenance budget as opposed to its general finances.

“Morrisons has decided to reduce window cleaning at stores because it is less important to customers at the darkest time of the year, ” he said.