Boxing Day sales expected to draw millions of Britons despite recession

Millions of Britons will flock to high streets and shopping centres around the country on Boxing Day as they enjoy a holiday from austerity on the biggest shopping day of the year.

Despite some stores launching their sales in the days leading up to Christmas, the Boxing Day sales remain the main event in bargain hunters' calendars as retailers slash the price of designer clothes and big ticket items such as TVs and sofas by as much as 50%.

Shopping centres are anticipating huge crowds with Bluewater in Kent, one of the largest, expecting 100,000 visitors on Boxing Day and 1 million over the rest of the week. "We're expecting the next seven days to be very strong," said Robert Goodman, general manager at Bluewater.

The lure of cut-price fashion is also expected to draw 700,000 shoppers to the West End in London, with queues expected outside department stores such as Selfridges and Liberty. The Knightsbridge store Harrods, which is launching its sale with a performance by the performers of Cirque du Soleil, is dangling big reductions on sought-after brands such as Chloé, Balmain and Diane von Furstenberg.

During December, Britons will part with almost £40bn – 50% more than in a typical month – as they stockpile food, drink and presents. But with many households struggling to cope with everyday food and fuel bills, the recession has altered the pattern of Christmas shopping, with savvy consumers looking to spread the cost over several months and holding back for in-store and online promotions.

This is the day of half daylight or night robbery, when they only charge double the real price, hahaha, rest of the year they pull off both arms and remove their sockets.

Can I come and live in your new place Hex? I can help fix and make stuff

hey apprentice welcome back. i like your brain avatar

Boxing Day sales expected to draw millions of Britons despite recession

Millions of Britons will flock to high streets and shopping centres around the country on Boxing Day as they enjoy a holiday from austerity on the biggest shopping day of the year.

hey apprentice welcome back. i like your brain avatar

Luckily kind of pointless shopping culture doesn't have so remarkable foothold in here, yet.

Bargain hunters make Boxing Day the busiest ever

RETAILERS have enjoyed one of their best trading days of the year as bargain hunters flocked to shopping centres around the region for the Boxing Day sales.

Hundreds of people queued outside their favourite stores from 5am to get the best deals, with North-East shopping centres reporting a huge increase in visitors and sales compared to previous years.

One of the longest early morning queues was at The Bridges shopping centre in Sunderland, where more than 300 people were waiting when the centre opened its doors at 5am.

Kevin Rusby, operations manager of The Bridges, said: “December has been phenomenal, really busy and we welcomed 1.6 million people through the centre.

“In the week leading up to Christmas our malls were heaving with a massive 536,000 festive shoppers.”

He added: “There’s a great buzz in the centre today, bargain hunters are definitely out in force looking for those deals.”

In Darlington, the streets were filled families on the lookout for the best deals, with retailers reporting some of their best trading figures of the year.

Susan Young, centre manager at the Cornmill shopping centre, said: “We’ve had a very busy day, even by typical Boxing Day standards.

“There’s been a constant flow of customers all day and a real buzz around the malls with many of our retailers reporting a hectic day on the tills.

“We’re really encouraged by how busy the Christmas period has been overall and we hope this trend continues throughout the January sales.”

Retail parks and town centres in Teesside also reported increased footfall and sales figures.

Teesside Park, near Stockton, was said to be extremely busy with long tailbacks for cars going in and out, and shoppers finding it difficult to park.

Security staff at Wellington Square shopping centre in Stockton said it had been busier than expected and the top level of the car park had to be opened to accommodate unprecedented demand.

Head of security Jim Lawder said: “It is always busy on Boxing Day but this is more unusually busy than most years.”

Across the UK, sales records for Boxing Day were smashed, with average footfall in British high streets up by 21.6 per cent.

In London forecasters predicted that more than £50m would be spent on just three streets - Bond Street, Regent Street and Oxford Street – fuelled by wealthy Chinese, Middle Eastern and Nigerian shoppers.

Head of security Jim Lawder said: “It is always busy on Boxing Day but this is more unusually busy than most years.”

Across the UK, sales records for Boxing Day were smashed, with average footfall in British high streets up by 21.6 per cent.

anyway, sarcasm aside, sometimes i wonder about these claims. People tend to follow what they are programmed think is the norm...if they think eveyone else is in on the action, well then, come next year...