Retail spending: High street sales frenzy goes on
Hundreds of thousands of shoppers hit the high street yesterday as major stores and retailers had a bumper day in the Christmas sales.
Queues formed well before dawn for bank holiday clearances. Customers were looking to snap up bargains ahead of New Year VAT increases amid further uncertainty over the economy.
The sales bonanza was fuelled by milder weather in some parts and store bosses were hoping to recoup some of the sales lost as the big freeze prevented people heading out during much of December.
Bosses at the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield said they were expecting one of the busiest days of the year with around 130,000 shoppers predicted to visit the centre yesterday.
Shops were open until 10pm to allow people to take full advantage of the sales. Prior to Christmas, the centre opened until midnight as snow and freezing temperatures kept people away.
Centre director Darren Pearce said yesterday’s bumper crowds followed on from a “phenomenal” Boxing Day when 90,000 shoppers set tills ringing despite Sunday trading laws allowing shops to open for six hours. Early arrivals yesterday included more than 1,500 people queuing for the Next sale at 5am.
