Shropshire shoppers in festive frenzy on busy trading day
Saturday 17th December 2011, 10:59AM GMT.
Retailers across Shropshire were hoping for some pre-Christmas joy and a a bumper day of trade today which was expected to be the busiest shopping day of the festive season.
Across the country more than 11 million people were due to spend more than £1 billion – at about £1.5 million a minute today.
In Shropshire, shopping centre and retail bosses were bracing themselves for a busy day.
Russell Hall, operations manager for the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres in Shrewsbury, said it had been busy all week and retailers were gearing up for a bumper weekend.
He said: “Almost a quarter of a million shoppers visited the Darwin and Pride Hill Centres in the week leading up to the final Saturday before Christmas last year.”
Philip Freeman, owner of the Parade Shopping Centre in Shrewsbury, said today was expected to be ‘very busy’.
In Telford, shopping centre bosses have announced the return of extended opening hours next week.Starting from Monday, the centre will be open until 9pm, and until 6pm on Christmas Eve.
Oswestry trader Wendy Unwin, of the town’s chamber of commerce, said it was vital tills start jingling today.
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