Shops enjoy sales frenzy
Tuesday 23rd December 2008, 1:59PM GMT.
Shropshire was in the grip of a retail frenzy today as shoppers shook off the credit crunch blues with a last-gasp Christmas spending spree.There was gridlock at the supermarket checkouts and one store has even drafted in a parking company to ease congestion in its car park.
Telford Shopping Centre managers also said trade was “buoyant” as shoppers headed to the stores.
Telford shopping operations manager Doug Lebeau said: “I have just come up from the malls and they are very busy. The other thing that is busy is the gift-wrapping area. I think, like everybody else, the centre has been buoyant over the last couple of weeks.”
It was another hectic pre-Christmas for staff at Asda in Donnington Wood where queues to pay reached about 20-deep at 10pm yesterday.
Asda has employed a specialist parking company to help ease the stresses for shoppers in cars.
Store manager Simon O’Hara said: “We have been busy overnight. We were 20-deep at 10pm at the tills and it has kept going ever since. We are intensely busy now. I can’t believe that many people live in Telford.”
He said trolleys were being filled with traditional Christmas food as well as alcohol. The store’s sale starts when it reopens after Christmas at 6am on Saturday. Mr O’Hara said: “It’s been a bumper year and a fantastic Christmas for the business. It’s difficult to quote specific numbers but it is a record-breaking Christmas for this store and Asda as a whole.
“The growth of the store has been so strong. We have taken on an extra 200 colleagues since September.
“Every single checkout is on. We have also manned the self-scan with colleagues to speed up the tills.”
Other supermarkets were also busy, such as Tesco at Wrekin Retail Park, Wellington, where people turned out early to avoid queues.
In Shrewsbury, Sainsbury’s was incredibly busy Manager Ian Evans said: “We were absolutely flat out yesterday and today is the same.” Chris Oldfield, manager of Tesco in Battlefield Road, Shrewsbury, said: “We’ve been very busy. I think yesterday was an exceptional day. We’ve worked our socks off. I think people have left a lot of shopping to the last minute.”
Staff at Tesco Express in Ditherington Road, Shrewsbury, expect to be busy on Christmas and Boxing Day.
A spokeswoman said: “Yesterday was quite busy but it’s quieter again today, just going steady. But on Christmas and Boxing Day the big store will be closing earlier while we’re open earlier and later, so we’re expecting it to be very busy on those two days.”
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Good god people, the shops are only closed for one day
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ade: It a bloomin’ nuisance. If the weather looks good I will want to go off camping Boxing-Day for the New Year and will decide X-mas day and need to buy provisions that day – but the shops are closed! Why? Its merely a relgious festival and I doubt if only a hand full of Shop employees are practicing Christians – its barmey!
Why should atheists be inconvienienced in this way?
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Your right Ade, it isnt like 20 years ago when the shops were closed for about a week. It is stupidity at its best.
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Re Lucy W:
A friend once advised me that his response to those who claim to be atheists is “If it wasn’t for God there would be no atheism”.
As it’s only a religious festival I’m surprised you haven’t lobbied your employer to be allowed to go into work on Thursday, what kind of an aethist are you?
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Lucy, I take it you will still enjoy time of work as its a public holiday ?? Merry christmas and try and be chearfull !!!
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Grow up people. Get it real- its Christmas if you had forgotten- this is what it should be like so if you dont like it get to grips with it. You silly fool.
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I agree with Ade and Suzanne, people go crazy! It should be like years ago when there were no shops open for days, that would give them all a shock! Lucy W, your an idiot. show some respect for others religious belief’s and not just your lack of.
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actually there closed boxing day aswell, so thats 2 days, but then they will be closed sunday and I think monday, so that makes it 4 days. there prop after last min pressies, but people still get paid this week remember.
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JUST THINK WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF CHRISTMAS WAS EVERY DAY(AS THE WELL KNOWN SONG GOES)
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Is there a war on? People are stocking up for nuclear Armageddon by the looks of it.
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Isn’t it clear by now to everyone that the High Streets and Arcades are just tat selling decks of cards propped up by a large waft of personal debt.
Lets see where this ‘frenzy’ is about February!
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Telford Girl: I have plenty of respect for people’s religious convictions. If they wish to have a day to celebrate a religious festival, by all means do.
But why does the UK go haywire because everyone wishes to celebrate a religious festival when hardly anyone participates in religious worship at Christmas or the rest of the year for that matter?
I just don’t understand the hypocrasy of the whole thing.
I don’t sent any Christmas cards but I do buy presents for people all year, not for birthdays or Christmas.
And I never send flowers to funerals, I give them to the people while they are still alive and can enjoy them.
But if people wish to worship St Nicholas (the patron saint of shopping) then thats fine by me.
I know I sound like the big bad wolf, but its much better than being another sheep in the fold.
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Lucy W: I think your messages should be removed, its not just about relgion these days, yes some people do still worship and celebrate chrsitmas as a relgion, but for most, its the kids that enjoy it, and about never giving flowers, thats just sick! do you tend to love ones graves. people like you should be banned from communicating like this, you have prop upset people with your emails, shropshire star get better moderators or you might get in trouble!
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Spare a thought for those of us who have to work while these shops open.
I work in a large shopping centre and I will be getting just Christmas day off. And before you say ‘just think of the enhanced rate overtime’ think again, It won’t be happening this year or next. I am not looking for sympathy, just a bit of recognition from you, the public, who just see us as an irritant.
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Mr J
Over-reaction!
While we just about still live in a free country, we are all entitled to our opinions, like it or not!
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i am sure woolworths employees would love to be at work next boxing day, hopefully most of them will, but there will be a major shakeout of up to 1.5 million workers this coming year. i suspect people are spending a bit whille they can and after all the government are encouraging it
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mr j said:” Lucy W: I think your messages should be removed, its not just about relgion these days”
I dont believe it! Its a religious celebration!!!!
Ever wondered why it is called CHRISTmas? Father CHRISTmas?
I accept that some people have a period unproductivity enforced on them and choose to follow Norweigen Folk Tales for a bit of fun – but it IS a religious festival – ask the Pope if you don’t believe me. But why should Jews, Muslims etc be forced to observe this day?
I only display “Seasonal Greetings” cards with the exception of one “Christmas Greetings” card that comes from a practicing christian – the rest is all hippocracy.
The only deceased loved one I knew had her ashes scattered. It was also her wish that there were no flowers at her funeral. Some people were unaware and flowers were removed by her widow with absolutely no offence to any party. That whats I want with mine but I want a coffin made of recycled pallets.
But you are welcome to whatever you wish for your end of life ceremony, that’s assuming you want one.
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