Eager shoppers descended en masse on London’s West End over the weekend, as the Christmas rush approached its climax.
According to the New West End Company, more than 1.5 million people visited the area on Saturday, spending around £180m in the process, with a further £100m estimated to have gone through the tills on Sunday. It is thought that consumers were enticed by discounts and the closure of Oxford Street and Regent Street to vehicles.
“Christmas has really gone off with a bang this weekend,” said New West End Company chief executive Richard Dickinson. “Retailers are reporting a significant rise in sales, with winter fashion and technology the most popular items.”
Meanwhile, commercial property operator Capital Retail Centres – owner of retail parks including the Trafford Centre, Lakeside and St David’s in Cardiff – revealed that its car parks were close to full capacity by midday on Sunday, with shoppers queuing to get in from early in the morning.
Last week, department store chain John Lewis announced it had enjoyed its most successful Mega Monday ever, with orders up by 30 per cent on the same point in 2010.
