Shoppers shun Boxing Day sales

Prices have dropped, so have customer numbers

The traditional rush to the Boxing Day sales became more of a trickle this year, as few bargain hunters made the effort.

Motoring organisations had been warning of possible congestion around out-of-town shopping centres, but by mid-afternoon there was no sign of traffic problems.

An AA Roadwatch spokesman said: "Long delays were expected at the start of the sales but they just haven't materialised yet.

"Some routes are busy but so far there have been no major problems."

DIY chain B&Q opened all its 300 UK stores, but a spokeswoman said there had been no major problems with overcrowding or traffic congestion around them.

'No problems'

Kate Whittaker, a spokeswoman for the Trafford Centre in Manchester, said she expected up to 80,000 visitors on Boxing Day, but stressed that was no more than would normally be expected.

She said: "The centre is busy like a normal Saturday, but it's not causing any problems.

"We do get congestion from time to time but there are no problems at all today."

However, the post-Christmas sales had not lost their lustre everywhere.

Despite freezing temperatures, about 30 shoppers queued up outside the Leekes furniture store in Cross Hands, south Wales, from around 5.30GMT in order to be first in line for "early bird" bargains in the Boxing Day sale.

At Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries shopping centre, more than 500 vehicles had already made their way into the car park 10 minutes after it opened on Tuesday morning.

But bosses at the city centre expected even greater numbers on Wednesday.

A spokesman said: "The Next sale starts tomorrow and we will be opening at 4am to allow people arriving early to come in out of the cold."