Crowds hit the streets of Swindon for the Christmas rush (From Swindon Advertiser)

Crowds hit the streets of Swindon for the Christmas rush

9:30am Monday 30th November 2009

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WALKING through the town centre on Saturday morning, you could be forgiven for thinking it was Christmas Eve.

This weekend was widely regarded as the first big shopping weekend in the run up to Christmas, so after a difficult year for traders who have been hit hard by the recession, all were looking to this busy period for some festive cheer.

The Christmas lights were on, the decorations hung, and the show windows were festooned with an array of discounted offers.

And shoppers were out in force. Drivers circled streets waiting for any spaces then queued at ticket machines.

The council’s policy of offering cut price £2 for four-hour parking in town centre car parks looked to be paying off.

Wiltshire Police reported heavy queues in Islington Street due to the sheer volume of Christmas shopping traffic, and the Orbital Shopping Park in North Swindon was also teeming with shoppers.

The town centre was heaving with people lugging their Christmas bargains down Regent Street.

Jacqueline Holyday, 64, from Covingham, said: “There’s a lot of people about, but it’s not uncomfortable.

“You can still get into shops, there’s a few queues but it’s okay.

“I was surprised by the number of people, I think the sunshine has brought people out.”

This weekend was also the year anniversary of the closure of the Woolworths store. The shutters on the windows to the Regent Street store remain a sad symbol of how hard the recession has hit the town’s economy, although it is hoped that BHS will move into Woolworths in the New Year while its own Bridge Street store undergoes a facelift.

After a difficult 12 months for traders, town centre management company inSwindon believes this is a crucial time of year for them to try to get customers spending.

Simon Jackson, CEO of inSwindon BID (Business Improvement District), said: “We don’t have any figures for the weekend’s trade yet, but the signs are that it’s looking really good.

“The town centre has been really busy both days – even Sunday has been busier than a normal Saturday at times.

“The Brunel Centre has been packed at times and the Christmas grotto is proving a huge success.

“The Christmas trading season is one of the most important times for retailers all over the country, and Swindon is no different, which is why at inSwindon we’ve laid on something for families each weekend from now until Christmas, so people can thoroughly enjoy the entire shopping experience.

“The retailers are coming up with some great bargains as well.”

Mr Jackson said that shops could still compete with internet shopping.

He said: “Of course people do look on the internet for gifts too, but there's something about seeing, touching, feeling things before you actually buy that the internet can never offer.”

The Confederation of British Industry has said retailers can expect a rise in sales as shoppers take advantage of the temporary reduced rate of VAT, low mortgage interest payments and moderate inflation.

But Beddy Maringo, commercial manager of the BHS store in Swindon, said despite the queues, trade was not as good this weekend as the same time last year.

He said: “We have been really busy, but we’re not taking the money that we should.

“It’s taking longer to shift our stock, we will sell it. It will take longer, but we’re not too worried.”

He thought a factor could be the car parking charges which could be putting off customers who could park elsewhere at places like Cribbs Causeway in Bristol for free or making shoppers rush to get back to their cars.

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