Shops expect last-minute rush

Supermarkets are drafting in extra staff

Retailers are bracing themselves for a rush of last-minute Christmas shoppers this weekend.

The British Retail Consortium says the approach to Christmas has been relatively slow, partly because of weather and transport problems.

But millions of shoppers are expected to hit the stores in the last two shopping days before Christmas.

Major shopping chains are drafting in extra workers to cope with the anticipated demand.

Supermarket chain Tesco has called in more than 9,000 workers to keep shelves stocked around the clock, serve customers and make deliveries at its 287 24-hour stores. About one million customers are expected overnight.

The streets may be packed with shoppers this weekend

Sainsbury's was also anticipating a last-minute rush with more than two million shoppers expected at its 437 stores on Sunday.

More than 6,000 extra workers have been called in to Safeway, where 1.4 million customers are expected over the weekend.

And Asda has bolstered deliveries and staffing levels at its 24-hour stores with an extra 8,000 workers drafted in.

Pub lunch

It seems that pubs will be busy too, with industry experts predicting that record numbers will open for lunch on Christmas Day.

But while they may be busy, bar workers can console themselves with their pay packet, with holiday pay rates of up to £12 an hour.

The findings come from a survey of the Christmas schedules of major pub chains by industry newspaper, the Morning Advertiser.

JD Wetherspoon has said it intends to open half of its 460 pubs at lunchtime on Christmas Day.

Bass Leisure Retail has also confirmed that most of its pubs will be open for the Christmas lunchtime trade.

And pub managers working for Punch Retail have been offered a share of the Christmas drinks takings as an incentive to drum up custom.

The Church of England has raised no objection to pubs opening on Christmas Day.

A spokesman said: "We have no problem with them opening, and certainly no problem with them displaying a real community spirit."