This is Somerset --
wdnews@b-nm.co.uk
The queues of bargain hunters were longer and the tills apparently ringed quicker than on any Boxing Day since 2007.
The start of the now somewhat misleadingly named January sales is one of the biggest events on the retail calendar and indications available yesterday suggest consumer confidence is on the up.
As many as 100,000 people visited Cabot Circus in Bristol, with some queuing hours before dawn to stand the best chance of grabbing the prime bargains. The bumper day on the high street comes on the back of a think-tank report suggesting Britain's economy could overtake Germany as Europe's largest by 2030.
In Bristol eager shoppers queued from as early as 3.15am to take advantage of the Boxing Day sales. Queues started forming outside Next in Cabot Circus, which always has a popular half-price sale, almost three hours before the store opened at 6am.
House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols were also popular in the small hours, despite the sub-zero temperature. By late morning, Cabot Circus and Broadmead were teeming with people, happily clutching bags of goods.
Cabot Circus bosses said it has "performed well" over the festive period, with up to 100,000 shoppers visiting the centre on the busiest days.
Centre director Stephanie Lacey said yesterday: "We're delighted that Cabot Circus has been very busy since mid-November. It's been a successful year for us.
"Today, we're seeing a real shopping frenzy with customers keen to make the most of the Boxing Day sales and bag the best bargains."
The Galleries' centre manager Colin Lang said: "The 27th is traditionally our busiest shopping day of the whole year but today, Boxing Day, our car park was full by 11am and there were long queues outside certain shops by 10am."
In London it was obvious that the key trend this year was the presence of international shoppers in huge numbers. Queues formed as early as 11.30pm on Christmas Day at Selfridges on Oxford Street in central London. As 3,500 shoppers surrounded the huge shopping emporium, it was apparent the queue was made up of people from all around the world – particularly China.
The significant presence of international shoppers was confirmed by Global Blue tax-free shopping experts.
Shoppers from Qatar spend the most on average per transaction (£1,714) followed by those from the United Arab Emirates (£1,372) but a spokesman said Chinese shoppers are the biggest spenders overall. They spend £1,367 on average per transaction but are more likely to return to the tills with more goods.
Some 1.4 million shoppers were expected to spend a total of more than £50 million in London's West End yesterday.
In Bristol families from across the region descended on key retail destinations. The Green family had come from Westbury in Wiltshire to do their shopping and had a very successful spree. By early afternoon Lisa, 40, and daughters Kayla, 18, and Mollie, 12, were armed with plenty of bags.
Lisa said: "Personally, I think it can be better for the kids to get money for Christmas to spend in the sales because they can choose what they want and get it for half the price."
Craig Bewick had travelled down from Cam and Dursley, Gloucestershire, with his fiancée Maria Gough and daughter Jessica.
"I had £80 of Christmas money to spend," beamed nine-year-old Jessica as she held a bag containing the new trainers she bought in Bank.
Louise Masson, general manager of Harvey Nichols, said: ""Shoppers have become very savvy over recent years, spending on quality rather than quantity. From initial feedback we are expecting a very busy and successful trading period in the coming weeks." Reported by This is 17 hours ago.
wdnews@b-nm.co.uk
The queues of bargain hunters were longer and the tills apparently ringed quicker than on any Boxing Day since 2007.
The start of the now somewhat misleadingly named January sales is one of the biggest events on the retail calendar and indications available yesterday suggest consumer confidence is on the up.
As many as 100,000 people visited Cabot Circus in Bristol, with some queuing hours before dawn to stand the best chance of grabbing the prime bargains. The bumper day on the high street comes on the back of a think-tank report suggesting Britain's economy could overtake Germany as Europe's largest by 2030.
In Bristol eager shoppers queued from as early as 3.15am to take advantage of the Boxing Day sales. Queues started forming outside Next in Cabot Circus, which always has a popular half-price sale, almost three hours before the store opened at 6am.
House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols were also popular in the small hours, despite the sub-zero temperature. By late morning, Cabot Circus and Broadmead were teeming with people, happily clutching bags of goods.
Cabot Circus bosses said it has "performed well" over the festive period, with up to 100,000 shoppers visiting the centre on the busiest days.
Centre director Stephanie Lacey said yesterday: "We're delighted that Cabot Circus has been very busy since mid-November. It's been a successful year for us.
"Today, we're seeing a real shopping frenzy with customers keen to make the most of the Boxing Day sales and bag the best bargains."
The Galleries' centre manager Colin Lang said: "The 27th is traditionally our busiest shopping day of the whole year but today, Boxing Day, our car park was full by 11am and there were long queues outside certain shops by 10am."
In London it was obvious that the key trend this year was the presence of international shoppers in huge numbers. Queues formed as early as 11.30pm on Christmas Day at Selfridges on Oxford Street in central London. As 3,500 shoppers surrounded the huge shopping emporium, it was apparent the queue was made up of people from all around the world – particularly China.
The significant presence of international shoppers was confirmed by Global Blue tax-free shopping experts.
Shoppers from Qatar spend the most on average per transaction (£1,714) followed by those from the United Arab Emirates (£1,372) but a spokesman said Chinese shoppers are the biggest spenders overall. They spend £1,367 on average per transaction but are more likely to return to the tills with more goods.
Some 1.4 million shoppers were expected to spend a total of more than £50 million in London's West End yesterday.
In Bristol families from across the region descended on key retail destinations. The Green family had come from Westbury in Wiltshire to do their shopping and had a very successful spree. By early afternoon Lisa, 40, and daughters Kayla, 18, and Mollie, 12, were armed with plenty of bags.
Lisa said: "Personally, I think it can be better for the kids to get money for Christmas to spend in the sales because they can choose what they want and get it for half the price."
Craig Bewick had travelled down from Cam and Dursley, Gloucestershire, with his fiancée Maria Gough and daughter Jessica.
"I had £80 of Christmas money to spend," beamed nine-year-old Jessica as she held a bag containing the new trainers she bought in Bank.
Louise Masson, general manager of Harvey Nichols, said: ""Shoppers have become very savvy over recent years, spending on quality rather than quantity. From initial feedback we are expecting a very busy and successful trading period in the coming weeks." Reported by This is 17 hours ago.