Shoppers return to London's West End

By Joia Shillingford
BBC News business reporter

After a big drop in shoppers on Friday and at the weekend following the London blasts on Thursday, numbers are starting to pick up again.

Retail research consultancy Footfall said traffic through stores in the UK as a whole was down 4.9% on Friday, compared with the previous Friday. Sales at the weekend were down 8%.

But even in London, consumers seem to be returning. Here is what shoppers, tourists and store staff in London's Oxford Circus had to say on Tuesday.

DAVINA FLOODE & JANNIKA TIMANDER

Davina Floode, a supervisor at Oasis' flagship store, says "it's definitely been quiet.

"On Monday, things started to pick up but it's not quite back to normal, though there are quite a few shoppers looking at sale items in the store."

Oasis sales assistant Jannika Timander says "on Thursday it was horrible, since we didn't have a radio or other way of getting information. We were told to go down to the basement.

"Our phone went dead for a while and if you don't get the facts you assume the worst."

ANDREA FAZACKELEY

"Obviously, there was a bit of anxiety," says Andrea Fazackeley from Hackney, London.

"You do wonder what might happen. But at the same time - no, it did not put me off coming shopping.

"I would have come in on Saturday if I hadn't been looking after my son, Felix. He's two-and-a-half and I'd be reluctant to take him on the tube with me at the moment.

"Today, I've bought things in John Lewis and Liberty and I'm planning to go to another couple of stores.

"We've been here before with the IRA bombs and Londoners are just brilliant. They are very resilient."

NICOLA KERVEN

"I work in London so had to come in anyway," says Nicola Kerven from Putney in south-west London.

"I took an overland train then walked the final part, avoiding the tube.

"This is my first shopping trip since Thursday and I've bought some clothes in Esprit.

"There is something to worry about, but you just have to hope you are in the right place at the right time.

"You can't stop doing things."

CORINNE BARRADE

"I wasn't nervous about coming in today," says Corinne Barrade of Paris.

"I feel quite safe, especially because there are a lot of policemen around.

"I came in by bus. I was here on Saturday as well because it's the sales and you can get a good deal.

"I've already bought clothes from Mango today and plan to buy more from other stores."

CLARE GREEN

"I'm actually on my way into the office," says Clare Green, of Stratford, east London.

"But I sat on the Central Line on my way in and we kept getting announcements saying you can't change trains here or there.

"So I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. I got on the tube at Liverpool Street instead of Stratford to make the journey shorter.

"Yesterday, I tried the bus instead but it took too long.

"I haven't been into any of the big stores on Oxford Street yet, but I will probably go later today.

"You can't stop your life and I think people should get back out."

CARLOS RICO

"On Friday morning, footfall was as much as 50% down, but the afternoon was busier," says Carlos Rico, general manager of Shelleys Shoes stores.

"So overall, Friday footfall was about 30% lower, maybe more.

"Saturday was down 35% and Sunday was even worse because of the World War II celebrations.

"Monday was a bit better, about 25% down. Footfall is still a bit down. It's really hard to say, how long it's going to last. Lots of parents are telling their children to avoid the centre of town.

"But our Kensington and Chelsea stores have had much higher sales than usual, showing people are still shopping - just avoiding certain areas."

ROB DAVIES

"Obviously Friday and Saturday in terms of footfall were down on the previous weeks," says Rob Davies of Urban Outfitters.

"On Friday we were down about 35%, on Saturday about 20%, on Sunday about 10%.

"But on Monday, we had a brilliant day and we had a really buoyant trading period prior to last Thursday.

"When people leave work - from 5pm to 8pm - that's usually a very busy period for us.

"It was good yesterday, but we don't have a sustained period to see if people will still be staying in town a little longer to shop before they go home."

NORAS ALRAMMAHI

"I wasn't worried about coming in to the West End, only about being on public transport," says Noras Alrammahi from Somerstown, near Euston, who travelled to Miss Selfridge on the bus.

"I was out shopping two days after the London bombs, on Saturday and Sunday.

"I will definitely buy something. I'm out with a friend buying sandals for a friend's graduation."

ANDREI KOZLOR & LEONIDS MELNICUKS

"We're not nervous at all," said Andrei Kozlor and Leonids Melnicuks from Tallinn in Estonia, who were checking out London's Oxford Street.

It is Andrei's third day in London and Leonid's second. "On Friday, I was sitting at home in Estonia and my mother said: 'Why do you want to go to London. Look on TV, there are terrible things happening,'" says Andrei.

"But it could happen in any city. I could sit in Tallinn and it could happen there."