Streets full with Christmas rush

Shops were busy but retailers were unsure how much was being spent

High streets and shopping centres have been full with thousands of people hunting for bargains in the last weekend before Christmas.

Retailers across Scotland reported a healthy turnout of customers, as shops slashed prices to try to boost sales.

Some stores said they had people queuing from before 0900 GMT.

It comes as a Bank of Scotland survey suggested people were curbing spending, but that Scots had the highest upper limit of £50 for friends and family.

Saturday was expected to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Footfall is certainly busy enough, the big question we'll find out after Christmas is have they spent? Kingdom Shopping Centre spokesman

Many stores were offering discounts of 10%-20%, with some cutting prices by up to 70% on selected items.

David Gallagher, the duty manager at Glasgow's Princes Square, on Buchanan Street, said: "Even before we opened, people were actually queuing up outside to get in."

Mr Gallagher said he believed the turnout was better than the same time last year.

Andrew Cronie, manager of the Gyle Shopping Centre in Edinburgh, said: "People are definitely shopping later this year.

"This week there has been a 20% lift on last week, compared with 14% at the same time last year.

"And this year everyone has got two extra days - Monday and Tuesday - for late night shopping, which they didn't have in 2007."

Shops have slashed prices in a desperate bid to boost sales

The Kingdom Shopping Centre, in Glenrothes, said the number of customers visiting the stores appeared to be increasing as Christmas approaches.

A spokesman said: "Footfall, certainly in Glenrothes, is up on previous weeks.

"We had 210,000 last week and it certainly seems busier this week than it was last week.

"Yesterday was a very busy day. The mall was extremely busy for long periods of time."

He added: "Footfall is certainly busy enough, the big question we'll find out after Christmas is have they spent?"

Aberdeen's Bon Accord and St Nicholas centres said they were "exceptionally busy".

Scots are setting a cap and sticking to it this Christmas Mike Regnier Bank of Scotland

A spokeswoman added: "There has been a fantastic festive atmosphere in the centre as people gear up for Christmas.

"Both the St Nicholas and Bon Accord centres have been exceptionally busy.

"Footfall is broadly similar to the same time last year and shoppers are certainly still coming out and spending."

The Thistle Centre in Stirling also reported a steady stream of customers into the stores.

"I think it's what I would expect it to be. It's not excessive, but there are steady customers there," a spokesman said.

Mike Regnier, Bank of Scotland head of banking, said: "Our research shows Scots are setting a cap and sticking to it this Christmas, albeit a more generous one than the rest of the UK.

"For many, a sensible spending cap is a great way to cut the cost of Christmas and still manage to buy presents for all our family and friends."