Queues at most stores as sales fever grips public awaiting euro arrival

Ms Deirdre Reilly drove from Termonfeckin, Co Louth, for the opening of the Arnotts sale in Dublin yesterday, but couldn't see a thing she wanted. "Not with all the pushing and shoving and grabbing. I'd sooner come back next week and chance my arm when things are a bit quieter."

Her daughter, Ms Eimear Reilly, on the other hand, thought the bargains "fantastic".

"I got a Tommy Hilfiger jumper," she said, "reduced from £65 to £42."

Arnotts and Roches Stores began their post-Christmas sales yesterday with queues forming by 8 a.m., an hour before front doors were opened at Roche's main Dublin outlet in Henry Street.

Yesterday afternoon saw the store's cosmetic department, where prices were down between 20 and 50 per cent, uncomfortably full.

The group marketing manager at Roches said all 12 outlets around the State were "enormously busy" yesterday.

Mr Eddie Shanahan, marketing manager with Arnotts, said the first day of the sale was "going very well" yesterday afternoon. "We opened the doors at 9.30, it took the queue about six minutes to clear and it has been steady ever since."

It was too early to get an accurate picture of how yesterday compared with last year's opening, he said, "but the first day of the winter sale is traditionally the busiest of the year. Last year set a new record and we're very hopeful that this year we'll break that."

Meanwhile, shops which began sales on Thursday were busy yesterday but less frantic than they had been. According to Mr Dan Ryan, general manager at Brown Thomas in Dublin, business was "up 12 per cent on the same day last year".

Mr Alan Reidy, general manager of the Cork branch, said sales there were up 50 per cent on last year but added heavy snow then kept sales down.

And just in case you haven't had enough, Marks and Spencer was yesterday selling Christmas puddings, reduced from £6.50 to £2.99 - and people were buying them.