Bumper shopping weekend expected

With the Budget over and the traditional December 8th shopping day falling on a Saturday, retailers are hoping for a bumper sales this weekend.

Footfall in Dublin city centre is expected to exceed half a million this weekend, according to Dublin City Business Improvement District.

“I’d be very surprised if it was not over 550,000…the Saturday two weeks out from Christmas you’d expect to be good,” Richard Guiney organisation chief executive said.

December 8th is not the big day it used to be as people begin shopping in mid-November, he said. However in recent years people have been shopping later as they wait and see what is in the Budget and buy accordingly, he said.

A spokeswoman for Irish Rail said that December 8th shopping trip to Dublin had "lost its traditional appeal" particularly with lots of shopping centres opening up.

However because December 8th falls on a Saturday this year Irish Rail expects its services to be quite busy tomorrow.

Dublin department store Arnotts is expecting a “very busy weekend” given the tradition around December 8th, chief executive Nigel Blow, CEO said today.

“Sales are building steadily in the run up to Christmas with the all important days still ahead of us,”he said.

“Early indications are good with our new jewellery hall performing very well and visits to Santa are ahead of last year," he said,

So far this year shopping levels appear to be good. “Car parks are a bit busier than expected….if it matched last year we’d be very pleased” Mr Guiney said.

Dublin City Business Improvement District has been working to make the city more family friendly with a Santa’s road show in the city centre with sweets, music and games for children.

“People love the city at Christmastime and this creates a bit of fun and makes it more family friendly” he said. This weekend the Santa’s roadshow will be in the south city centre area.

December 8th was traditionally the day when people from outside Dublin would flock to the capital to shop due to it falling on holy day, the Feast of the Assumption.