Sales have come to the High Street early this year as stores aim to entice Christmas shoppers to part with their cash.
Retailers across the UK are offering discounts of up to 50% as they try to get people spending on what is one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year so far.
Traders in Oxford Street and Regent Street in central London have estimated that sales will top £150m this weekend, with both streets pedestrianised for the crowds.
A spokeswoman for the the New West End Company, which represents 600 traders in Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, said: "There have been queues outside John Lewis, Selfridges and Marks & Spencer.
"The first trading started a minute after shops opened at 9.30 this morning and the cold weather is forcing people into the shops."
The company estimated that around 400,000 people had visited the area by midday.
The Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham said it was expecting up to 220,000 shoppers today and a further 120,000 on Sunday.
Capital Shopping Centres (CSC) operates 14 malls including the Trafford Centre in Manchester, Lakeside in Thurrock, Braehead in Glasgow and St David's in Cardiff.
It reported shoppers were "out in force" to take advantage of offers such as a three-for-two on everything at accessories shop Accessorize and discounts of up to 50% at Past Times gift stores.
Retailers struggled last December as the country was gripped by freezing conditions and heavy snow that left some high streets empty.
No comments:
Post a Comment