Shoppers hit the streets on retailers’ busiest weekend but numbers dwindle due to Omicron fears

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Shoppers have taken to the streets on the last weekend before Christmas but numbers have dwindled amid Omicron fears while some stores have started their Boxing Day sales 10 days early. 

Britons headed out on Saturday to grab last-minute presents as Christmas rapidly approaches next weekend, but a low footfall has been predicted for retailers’ busiest weekend of the year as the rapid spread of Omicron has forced people to stay at home.

But groups of shoppers in cities including Exeter, London and Liverpool still flocked out to the high street and Christmas markets on Saturday morning, with some seen wearing face masks on their festive outings.

The number of people visiting High Streets across the UK has plunged amid fears over the Omicron super-mutant variant, with Central London seeing a footfall nosedive and big West End shows being temporarily closed. 

London’s main shopping and entertainment district predicted a muted final weekend of Christmas trading after customer traffic plunged on Thursday, with the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant keeping people at home.

The New West End Company, which represents 600 brands, restaurants and businesses in London’s West End, said footfall on Thursday was down by 7 per cent from the previous week and down 32 per cent from pre-pandemic figures.

‘With rising Covid cases dampening consumer confidence and a planned Tube strike looming on Saturday, we’re anticipating a muted final weekend of Christmas trading at a time when West End businesses should be enjoying a much needed boost,’ CEO Jace Tyrrell said on Friday.

He joined calls for the government to provide temporary financial support to leisure businesses across the United Kingdom.

Springboard data also showed that visits to high streets across the UK on Thursday morning were down 2.7 per cent on the previous week’s figure, The Guardian reported.

Visits to shopping centres also plunged by 2.6 per cent while it also recorded a 21.3 per cent drop across London, where Omicron cases have surged over the past week.

British retail sales rose faster than expected last month, helped by Black Friday discounts, early Christmas shopping and no lockdown restrictions that closed many shops last year, official figures showed on Friday.

However, Omicron has heightened fears over Christmas trading.

On Wednesday, consumer electrical retailer Currys said its market had softened in recent weeks, while on Thursday online fashion retailer Boohoo warned on annual profit. 

Meanwhile, Harrods kicked off its famous Boxing Day sale 10 days early so that customers can shop ‘wherever they are’, Harrods said.

The sale will run throughout the festive season and into January. 

The drop in foreign tourists has also hit Knightsbridge-based Harrods, which relies on wealthy shoppers from China, the Middle East and the US for much of its sales.

The seven-storey building has around one million square feet of floorspace. 

Although it is beginning far ahead of the usual Boxing Day event, the store plans to cut prices further and release additional deals on December 26.

Harrods will still be open for in-person shoppers – and said the safety of customers and staff was still its ‘top priority’.

Harrods managing director Michael Ward said: ‘As we enter this important moment in the trading calendar, we are delighted to give our customers the festive treat of the Harrods winter sale to enjoy wherever they are, be that at our iconic Knightsbridge store, online or through our remote shopping services.

Mr Ward added: ‘Harrods has never been afraid of adapting to suit the changing needs of our customers, and we hope that bringing our sale forwards will give our clients all over the world an opportunity to enjoy the magic of Harrods at Christmas for longer.’

Harrods was founded in 1849 by Charles Henry Harrod – who wanted to capitalise on trade created by the Great Exhibition of 1851 in nearby Hyde Park.

Its customers have included Oscar Wilde, Charlie Chaplin, Vivien Leigh and Noel Coward – as well as numerous royals.

It has been owned by the Qataris since 2010, when the country’s sovereign wealth fund snapped it up for £1.5bn. 

Britain first expressed concern about the Omicron variant on November 25 and last week, the Prime Minister imposed tougher Covid restrictions in England, ordering people to work from home, wear masks in public places and use vaccine passes to slow the spread.