Millions set to hit UK high street

One retail analyst said this weekend was a key period in terms of Christmas sales and would indicate how buoyant Christmas trading would be.

There have been fears that retailers were facing their toughest Christmas for 25 years after recent hikes in interest rates and stiff competition from the internet.

However, a spokesman from the British Retail Consortium said so far festive trading had been going “reasonably well”.

“This weekend will be the real indicator about how Christmas will go,” he said.

“The internet still represents a very small proportion of overall spend - around 4%.”

He said while consumers often use the internet to do research they generally purchase goods from stores.

Sales in November were slightly slower than usual as the unseasonably warm weather had put people off buying winter clothes.

As a result some clothing and footwear stores were offering discounts the BRC spokesman said.

“I do not think retailers are any more concerned this Christmas than other years.

“It seems to be that footwear and clothing are the areas where discounts are available. That is to be expected if there has not been strong sales in that area.

“This weekend will be a bit of a litmus test for many retailers on how their Christmas trading is going.”

Up to half a million people are expected to flock to London’s West End to do their Christmas shopping.

At the start of the month the capital’s busiest shopping district was turned into a pedestrian-only zone in order to boost trade.

Oxford Street and Regent Street was traffic-free for the first time on December 2 to help shoppers with their Christmas countdown.

A spokesman for the New West End Company, which represents traders in the area, said the one-off pedestrian shopping day had seen a 37% increase in the number of shoppers compared with the previous Saturday and was 17.1% up on the previous year.

He said tough trading conditions elsewhere in the country did not affect London, which was boosted by tourism.

In Manchester shoppers appeared to have left it later this year to buy presents but a spokeswoman for the Trafford Centre said numbers were now picking up sharply.

Day-on-day sales figures for last week were 4% higher than the same period last year and centre bosses were confident that more than 130,000 customers would pass through its doors today.

The spokeswoman said: “The car parks are filling up nicely today after our busiest week of the year so far.

“People seem to be leaving it later this year to do their Christmas shopping as we still have another weekend before the big day.

“But all our major stores are making positive noises about till receipts.”

Sales of winter clothing had risen considerably in the past week as temperatures are forecast to dip, she added.

This year’s top selling toys at the Trafford Centre are Doctor Who Cyberman masks and Bratz Forever Diamondz doll accessories.

In Bristol city centre, thousands of shoppers were flocking to the Broadmead centre in the winter sunshine.

John Hirst, the complex’s manager, said despite a dip in sales retailers were keeping their “fingers crossed” for a lucrative weekend at the tills.

“We’re looking at a 3% decrease on last year. The weather is good, it’s a nice crisp day and we do so much better when it’s like this.

“We desperately need to be able to catch up. Everybody’s finding it tough, so this weekend and the next will be vital.”

But trade at The Mall – a giant out-of-town centre on the outskirts of Bristol - has been buoyant for the last few weeks.

A spokesman said: “We’re open 13 hours a day and I think shoppers are being smart and coming early or late and missing the crowds.

“We’re up on last year and we’re busier. Footfall is up 9% on last year. This weekend is going to be busy, but next weekend will be the big one.”