 Over 1.5 million shoppers crowded the West End on Saturday 10th of December, coined as the busiest day for Christmas shopping this year. Just within the London's West End, they spent £180 million on Saturday, the New West End Company,
which represents 600 traders in Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, said.
The company anticipates that a further £100 million will go through the tills this week with people taking advantage of weekend-only discounts and give-aways, and the added incentive of traffic-free streets on Oxford Street and Regent Street.
Richard Dickinson, chief executive of the New West End Company, said: "Christmas has really gone off with a bang this weekend. Based on past experience we were confident that despite the slow start to seasonal spending, shoppers would get the tills ringing over the next two weeks but this weekend has exceeded expectations. Compared to VIP Day last year, when Sunday saw traffic come back into the area, retailers are reporting significant rise in sales, with winter fashion and technology the most popular items.It's a real shoppers market out there with stores offering discounts of up to 50% and the tactic is working with £20m going through the tills in the first three hours of Saturday's trading."
As published by national press, Selfridges, on Oxford Street, said customers were queuing to get in when the store opened at 11.30am, with headphones, iPads, Kindles, candles and chocolates among the most popular items. Meave Wall, store director, said: "This weekend Selfridges has been flooded with shoppers stocking up on festive supplies ahead of the big day and gifts with big ticket technology items, such as plasma screens and anything Apple, being particularly popular. With traffic-free shopping proving a hit with shoppers as always, our figures demonstrate that Christmas sales have now gained real momentum and we're confident December will be a positive month."
Capital Shopping Centres (CSC), which operates 14 malls including the Trafford Centre in Manchester, Lakeside in Thurrock, and St David's in Cardiff, reported that customers had been queuing since 9am in some places and car parks were almost at full capacity by midday. Trevor Pereira, commercial director at CSC, said: "We've had over eight million shoppers through the doors of our 14 centres this week with families enjoying the festive atmosphere in our shopping centres as they stock up on Christmas gifts."
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