West Midlands shoppers defy credit crunch
Dec 9 2008 by Harriet Alexander, Birmingham Mail
The latest British Retail Consortium-KPMG Retail Sales showed total sales in November dropped 0.4 per cent year-on-year following a 0.1 per cent decline in October - a first for the survey since its launch in January 1995.
Helen Dickinson, head of retail at KPMG, said: There is little doubt that Christmas will arrive late for many retailers, leaving them with a very nerve-wracking couple of weeks to come.
But in the West Midlands at the weekend The Bullring was buzzing with activity, and Tim Walley, general manager, said: We are seeing a cumulative increase of five per cent year-on-year sales growth for 2008.
Business was also brisk at the Mell Square shopping centre in Solihull.
Weve had a very good weekend, said centre manager Paul Round.
From where Im sat looking out of my window, it is amazingly busy. There is plenty of activity and confidence, and the picture is pretty bright.
Graham Evans, manager of the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton, said that his shopping centre was also busy.
Were really pleased. The number of shoppers is about 25 per cent up on last year, and we are looking to beat last years record sales, he explained.
In the last week of November we had over half a million people come through our doors, which is the first time that has ever happened before the big Christmas weeks.
Retailers are offering amazing deals which is really driving sales, and despite the doom and gloom in the news the spending is still going on.
But Mr Evans said he has noticed a change in peoples shopping habits.
We are finding that people are being more prudent, he said. Shoppers are being more cautious about how they spend their money. The customers are still getting out there, but they are thinking hard before buying.
Gavin Brown, managing director of Clothes Show Live said: In such a gloomy economic climate, consumers are looking to treat themselves.
Leading retailers such as All Saints, Juicy Couture, Toni& Guy and Rimmel were said to have been overun by customers at the 20th anniversary event.
Sharon Sandhu, category manager at the Toni & Guy stand said: On Friday and Saturday our sales figures were double what we took at 2007s show.
