Christmas shoppers were out in force prior to Christmas RMG14
WHILE there has been a marked drop in southern trade over the Christmas period – local shops have been reporting a busy couple of weeks and a healthy start to the sales season.
This year traders in Enniskillen were hoping for a bumper year of Christmas trade particularly with the opening of the refurbished Next store, Cara Pharmacy and JD Sports in the Erneside Shopping Centre
Although for many the Christmas trade started off slow before a real hive of activity towards the end of Christmas week.
This was the case for the O2 shop in Enniskillen, where manager Declan Devlin noted, “We were definitely busier coming towards the end of the week. Although phones aren’t on Christmas lists as much now, they are a necessity and are bought all year round. We have found customers are going for the higher end phones and spending more, so our sales are up.
“People don’t wait for Christmas day which would have traditionally been the case and I suppose that is how Christmas trade has changed over the years.”
Jonathan Styles from Mercers was “very pleased” with a busy Christmas period, although highlighted the main difficulties that are facing local businesses in the town centre.
He said, “Mercers had a good Christmas, which we were pleased about. We were able to welcome back new and existing customers pre-Christmas, which was a real encouragement because as a town we have had a challenge to rise to with the weak Euro for a record period. The Euro is without any signs of strengthening and this creates problems, as car parks aren’t filled with the usual blend of southern registration cars.”
And the well-known local retailer was scathing about internet shopping, warning that it was bad for local business. He also slammed the use of internet shopping, “Without local trade you wouldn’t have a town centre where you can go and have a coffee, look around the shops and meet people. – The internet threatens that and when buying things over the internet it doesn’t always work out. The only thing you are guaranteed is the money comes straight out of your account, there is no bond built between the customer and the computer gizmo you are buying off.”
However difficult or successful the Christmas season may have been for local businesses, savvy shoppers are now helping boost sales with an influx of customers ready to pick up a bargain in the January sales. It is hoped this will help in combating a weak Euro and aid the local economy well into the New Year.
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