Tens of thousands flock to Christmas sales in Cannock
Tens of thousands of shoppers across Staffordshire are expected to snap up bargains during the biggest Boxing Day sale in years.
Stores will slash their prices with some offering reductions of up to 70 per cent to tempt post-Christmas shoppers into a shopping surge.
The Guildhall in Stafford is expecting the number of customers to rise by 10 per cent compared to last year based on current trade patterns.
It had just under 9,500 come through the doors on Boxing Day last year. This week it is opening between 10.30am and 4.30pm and Topshop and River Island are amongst those due to open the doors for the sales.
Centre manager George Demetriou said: "Based on the current trend for footfall this last year we are expecting it to be busier. We are expecting a 10 per cent increase. It is a bargain because shops have got so much to clear."
Cannock Shopping Centre is closed on Boxing Day but other retailers in the area are looking to take advantage of the bumper trading day.
Phil Evans, general manager of DFS on Roman Way retail park, in Cannock said: "We will open at 9am on Boxing Day and although we have done well with sale trade this month, the bulk of our trade will be from Boxing Day onwards."
Next at the Queens Retail Park in Stafford is opening from 6am to 6pm while Argos in Gaolgate Place and at the Orbital, Cannock, will also trade between 9am and 5pm.
Traditionally around 10 million shoppers, or one in five Britons, will spend an average of £46.10 in the Boxing Day sales, each buying 13 items during the January sales.
But retail analyst Springboard said there has been a huge shift in shopping patterns, with growing US-influenced trends such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday diminish the popularity of this year's Boxing Day sales.
In the run-up to Christmas, businesses have remained busy.
Natal Chapman, Cannock shopping centre manager said: "We use footfall figures to gauge how many people have visited the centre during the Christmas rush.
"Trade is certainly better than previous years and we will have official figures at the end of the month.
"We don't open on Boxing Day as we are a community shopping centre and we feel that Boxing Day trading doesn't work here but footfall has certainly been up in the run up to Christmas."
