Shrewsbury retailers are enjoying a bumper Christmas this year with townspeople expected to spend a quarter of a billion pounds – despite the recession and the big freeze.
In a detaield survey carried out by Barclays bank for the first time this year, figures suggest that consumers in Shrewsbury will spend £250million over the festive period.
Traders in the town have also reported good sales despite the weather conditions.
The survey carried out by the banking giant details predicted spending in 100 towns and cities across the country and it is expected that £156 million will be spent on debit cards by Shrewsbury residents and £94 million will be withdrawnfrom cash machines in the area.
Susan Nicholls, Barclays branch manager for Shrewsbury, said the early snow falls this month had meant the start of December was a little quieter on the high street than expected.
“This is likely to put even greater pressure on retailers as we draw to the end of the Christmas countdown, with customers being forced to do their shopping at the last minute,” she added.
“Despite the recent cold snap business has been very brisk. With fears over many online deliveries being held up and potentially not arriving in time for Christmas, shoppers are braving the conditions and heading for the high street to ensure they have the gifts and supplies for a merry Christmas.”
Nicholas Pitt, centre director of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres, said: “What we’re finding is that people are shopping and they’re being selective and trying to maximize their spending potential.
“The weather has had an impact but not as much as we thought and our initial footfall figures suggest that people are shopping more than we expected.”
John Hall, chairman of Shop in the Loop, said: “I think it’s hard to say but I do think the weather has had an effect and kept people out of the shops to a certain extent because of the conditions.
“But I’m foreseeing an extremely busy end to the week because people still do like to get out there into shops and see what’s available. The future for high street shopping is still very strong as these figures suggest.”
Michelle Jamie, owner of Wysteria Lane boutique shop, said: “I think the weather has affected people’s shopping pattern more than anything because it is all coming very late this year.
“Trade is very brisk today and yesterday and we’re still feeling pretty buoyant. I think shopping on the high street is still very strong despite the current economic climate and it’s all about whether you offer the right product at the right price.”
Sheila Sager, owner of Shrewsbury Bakehouse, said: “Trade is still going really well and I would say we are right on target and about the same as last year.
“There does seem to be less people around town but I think that’s because people are buying more intelligently this year and more more aware of what they are spending. It has still been really busy though and people could well be leaving it untill the last minute because of the weather.”
Temperatures in Shrewsbury are forecast to remain below freezing for the coming week with freezing fog predicted for Christmas day.
By David Seadon