Gooseberry leaf drop

[Essexboy]

My Gooseberries ( 3 bushes 5 yrs old ) fruited well and then dropped all their leaves end of July. No sign of Sawfly damage,
but this also happened last year. Any ideas why this is happening ?

[ameno]

The leaves actually dropped, as in the dead leaves are still on the ground under the plant?
The only thing I can think of that would cause such premature leaf drop is drought stress. How are you growing them? They're not in pots, are they?

[Essexboy]

They are on my allotment, could be lack of water