Market Gates post bumper Christmas sales

Christmas week trade at the Market Gates Shopping Centre was exceptionally strong with major improvements in footfall in the final festive run up and on Boxing Day.

The centre reported footfall in the last week, starting on December 22, up 5pc on last year.

The centre was boosted by new outlets in women’s clothing brand, Select, S.M.A.R.T Menswear, hair salon Bellissimo, and the popular Pandora. It also saw increased footfall due to special Christmas events such as the grotto and the Come As Yourself, Leave As An Elf children’s activities which proved highly popular.

In addition, the centre worked closely with Great Yarmouth Town Centre in sponsoring the ice rink and supporting the Christmas lights switch on and these activities, alongside the visit by the Coca-Cola truck, helped revitalise the town this Christmas.

But the spending didn’t stop at Christmas. Boxing Day at Market Gates saw a 25pc increase in sales from last year’s figures as shoppers made the most of the bargains on offer.

“The advent of Black Friday has obviously changed the way some customers organise their shopping at Christmas but at Market Gates we have been enjoying a very strong autumn and winter,” said centre manager Nick Spencer.

“Market Gates holds in high regard, value and convenience and this has been a strong motivator in attracting shoppers who are looking to get the maximum value from their Christmas spending. More shoppers than ever are happy to shop around rather than focus all their spending in ‘out of town’ supermarkets and regional schemes and this has helped increase our footfall and the takings in our stores.

“Obviously it is inevitable some shoppers have been holding out for the sales, and in a year where the weather has been unseasonably mild, this is very much the case for winter coats and knitwear. This has helped create strong trade in the post Christmas period reflected in the encouraging Boxing Day figures.”