Last-minute Christmas shoppers provide boost for UK retailers

2 days ago

Retailers received a boost from a last-minute spree by shoppers on Christmas Eve, with an increase in footfall after a lacklustre festive season,Footfall was up by 31,1% across all UK retail destinations up until noon on Tuesday compared with Christmas Eve last year, although the date fell on a Sunday in 2023 and so suffered from shorter shopping hours,Shopping centres were particularly busy, with visitor levels up 42,2% to noon compared with last 24 December, while high streets saw a 29.

1% increase and visits to retail parks were up 23.7%, the data from MRI Software showed.Consumers appeared to be making the most of festive events and attractions, with market towns recording a 50% rise compared with Christmas Eve last year.Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, said: “While many have taken to the shops this morning, this may well be the last splurge before a big spending freeze sets in in the new year for consumers, meaning that retailers should be taking heed of these trends to plan accordingly for a challenging start to 2025.”MRI had earlier reported that high street footfall was 5.

3% lower on 23 December than on the same day last year.Retailers had hoped for a long-awaited increase in trade on Monday – expected to be the peak Christmas shopping day – and footfall increased by 28.5% across all UK retail destinations compared with the week before.Visits to shopping centres were up 45.5% on last week and retail parks saw a 31.

1% increase,High streets also saw an 1,8% week-on-week increase in visitors,However, MRI said the year-on-year 5,3% drop in footfall on the high street suggested the cost of living crisis was still affecting many people.

This was also reflected in “modest” year-on-year rises in shopping centres and retail parks of 1,4% and 4,9% respectively,A separate analysis for the Guardian has found the average Briton’s consumption on Christmas Day causes 23 times more greenhouse gas emissions than a regular day,Emissions generated by each adult by all the travel, gifts, energy, decorations, food, drink and waste associated with the climax of the annual carnival of consumerism amount to 513kg of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), the analysis found.

The average daily emissions of a UK adult are about 22kg CO2e,Sign up to Business TodayGet set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningafter newsletter promotionGifts were the biggest contributor to the total, accounting for more than 93% of emissions, according to ClimatePartner, which carried out the analysis on behalf of the Guardian,

sportSee all

Teen tearaway Sam Konstas rewrites red-ball recipe in fearless Boxing Day debut | Jack Snape

The first attempt by Sam Konstas at a ramp shot did not go well. In the windy heat of the MCG on Boxing Day, a swing and a miss was met with a wry grin from Jasprit Bumrah. At the non-striker’s end, Usman Khawaja – 38 a week ago – cracked a smile.When Konstas failed to connect on a second try minutes later, the writing was on the wall. In a critical moment of a Test series that will define this generation of Australian players, selectors had taken a risk

about 20 hours ago

Skelton’s Grey Dawning has talent to light up Kempton in wide-open race

There have been many renewals of the King George VI Chase in recent years which revolved around a clear market leader but there is no obvious starting point for weighing up this year’s race at Kempton on Thursday, as nine of the 11 runners already have at least one Grade One victory over fences to their name and at least four – Spillane’s Tower, Banbridge, Grey Dawning and Il Est Francais – could conceivably set off as favourite.There are also slight question marks over all four of the principals in the betting. Banbridge is unproven at the three-mile trip, Il Est Francais ran poorly after bursting a blood vessel last time out, Spillane’s Tower has shown his best form with more cut in the ground and Grey Dawning had a tough race in the Betfair Chase in November.Every punter will have their own idea about how best to weigh it all in the balance, and Bravemansgame, the winner in 2022 and second behind Hewick last year, is an interesting each-way alternative at double-figure odds as he returns to a track and trip which clearly suits him so well.For a win bet, however, the most appealing option is the progressive Grey Dawning (2

1 day ago

Paris was the Dude: 2024 Olympics were right Games at perfect time

Four months after Paris 2024’s spectacular finale, starring Tom Cruise abseiling off the top of the Stade de France and hurtling out of a plane above Los Angeles, the executive director of the Olympics is mulling over the lasting impact of the Games. Albeit with the help of a rather different cinematic icon.“I was making a presentation to Deloitte executives recently,” says Christophe Dubi, the man responsible for planning and delivering the Olympics. “And I started by paraphrasing the Stranger in The Big Lebowski: ‘Sometimes, there is a man, he’s the man for his time and place, he was The Dude.’ Because Paris really was the right Games, at the right time and place

2 days ago

India to play Champions Trophy games in Dubai after refusal to visit Pakistan

India’s matches at the 2025 Champions Trophy will be held in Dubai, the International Cricket Council confirmed on Tuesday.Pakistan, the tournament hosts, selected the United Arab Emirates as a neutral venue for India’s fixtures with the team not able to play matches in Pakistan because of political tensions.The hosts’ Group A game against India will now be played in Dubai, along with India’s games against Bangladesh and New Zealand. The decision also means that the venue for the final on 9 March will change from Lahore to Dubai if India qualify.Last month the Board of Control for Cricket in India, citing government advice, told the ICC it would not send a team to the tournament, which begins in February

2 days ago

Grey Dawning bids to follow in Desert Orchid tradition for King George glory

A bold-jumping grey in the King George at Kempton: for a dozen years from the mid‑1980s, it was a Boxing Day tradition as Desert Orchid, One Man and Teeton Mill racked up seven wins from nine appearances between them. And as Robert Kirkland, a racehorse owner for nearly 40 years, still recalls, there might have been another.“The first horse I ever had a share in was called High Edge Grey,” Kirkland said this week. “He won the Charlie Hall at Wetherby in 1988 and the plan was to go to Kempton, but then he hurt his back in the Hennessy at Newbury. In those days, you didn’t have chiropractors for horses, and he missed it

2 days ago

The Breakdown awards: best rugby matches, players and quotes of 2024

The best and worst of the last 12 months and hopes for 2025 in our review of the year in rugby union1 Antoine Dupont (France, Toulouse, France sevens)2 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)3 Pieter-Steph du Toit (SA), Ox Nché (SA), Wallace Sititi (New Zealand), Ellie Kildunne (England)1 Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)2 Joe Schmidt (Australia)3 Franco Smith (Glasgow Warriors)1 England 37-42 Australia – Twickenham (sorry, Allianz Stadium)2 Bordeaux 41-42 Harlequins – Stade Chaban-Delmas3 Leinster 22-31 Toulouse – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; Bath 26-36 Bristol – Recreation Ground1 Toulouse2 Bristol3 England women1 Ilona Maher (US)2 Antoine Dupont3 Jack Willis (Toulouse)1 Rugby Football Union2 Stuart Hogg3 Exeter ChiefsThe eight-year-old Stevie Mulrooney stole the show before Ireland’s 36-0 win over Italy in February with a splendid rendition of Ireland’s Call.Rugby Journal.Ronan O’Gara (Irish Examiner).Tom Willis (Saracens), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Guy Pepper (Bath), Henry Pollock (Northampton), Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks).Sam Prendergast (Ireland), Tom Jordan (Scotland), Tom Rogers (Wales), Theo Dan (England)

3 days ago

technologySee all

;