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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Shops braced for last-minute rush | Shops braced for last-minute rush |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Retailers around the UK are bracing themselves for a last-minute rush on the final weekend before Christmas. | Retailers around the UK are bracing themselves for a last-minute rush on the final weekend before Christmas. |
| As Christmas Day falls on a Monday this year, it is thought many people will have put off their Christmas shopping until the very last minute. | As Christmas Day falls on a Monday this year, it is thought many people will have put off their Christmas shopping until the very last minute. |
| Saturday could set a new record for consumer spending, Barclays says. | Saturday could set a new record for consumer spending, Barclays says. |
| The bank estimates £2.5bn could be spent, including purchases on credit and debit cards, and £500m could be withdrawn from cash machines. | The bank estimates £2.5bn could be spent, including purchases on credit and debit cards, and £500m could be withdrawn from cash machines. |
| Christmas Eve will see large supermarkets and high street stores able to trade for only a maximum of six hours in England and Wales - from 1300 to 1800 in Northern Ireland - because of Sunday trading restrictions. | |
| But many of the larger supermarkets will let customers in half an hour before the tills open. | But many of the larger supermarkets will let customers in half an hour before the tills open. |
| The restrictions do not extend to Scotland, where Sunday trading has been legal for many years. | |
| However, that historical situation could change, as a Christmas Day New Year's Trading Bill (Scotland) - prepared by Karen Whitefield MSP - was introduced in the Scottish Parliament in March this year. | |
| Slow start | Slow start |
| Latest figures from the Retail FootFall Index show shopper numbers between Monday and Thursday were 22.6% up on the similar period last week. | Latest figures from the Retail FootFall Index show shopper numbers between Monday and Thursday were 22.6% up on the similar period last week. |
| Despite the steady increase, year-on-year footfall is still down nearly 11%, it said. | Despite the steady increase, year-on-year footfall is still down nearly 11%, it said. |
| FootFall spokeswoman Natasha Burton said online shopping had taken early festive trade away from the high street. | FootFall spokeswoman Natasha Burton said online shopping had taken early festive trade away from the high street. |
| But she added: "We are seeing footfall levels increase dramatically each day and are expecting that this weekend will significantly boost retailers' fortunes as last-minute shoppers make up for a slow December on the retail front." | But she added: "We are seeing footfall levels increase dramatically each day and are expecting that this weekend will significantly boost retailers' fortunes as last-minute shoppers make up for a slow December on the retail front." |
| Kevin Hawkins, director of the British Retail Consortium, agreed that high street trade had picked up over the past week. | Kevin Hawkins, director of the British Retail Consortium, agreed that high street trade had picked up over the past week. |
| He said: "I think Christmas started a bit slowly over the last couple of weeks but I think this week - partly due to a full trading week and secondly because of the cold weather - has helped enormously." | He said: "I think Christmas started a bit slowly over the last couple of weeks but I think this week - partly due to a full trading week and secondly because of the cold weather - has helped enormously." |