Local retail sector reports "steady" sales over Christmas

Many Athlone retailers are reporting a busy festive season particularly in the two weeks prior to Christmas, with trade holding steady in many sectors despite widespread fears beforehand of a massive slump in consumer spending locally. The sustained Shop Local campaign along with initiatives like the free parking offered by the council prior to Christmas appear to have curried favour with local shoppers. However, some smaller businesses said Christmas spending started a little later this year, with business picking up closer to Christmas. 'From our point of view we"ve had a good and very successful Christmas particularly, in the last two weeks, it was very busy. It was certainly on a par with what we expected.' Marketing Manager of Athlone Towncentre Shirley Delahunt remarked. 'I think the reason we did so well prior to Christmas was many of our units were offering sale value,' before going in to full sale mode with over 50% reductions after Christmas. 'There has been great trade since we re-opened. It"s been particularly strong. It is hard to compare it with last year because the centre had just opened but we are certainly happy how we performed. Sales of our Christmas voucher scheme have exceeded expectations and that will feed in to our January business to give us a good base.' Golden Island Shopping Centre also enjoyed a very healthy Christmas trade according to Manager, Tony McDermott, who reported 'bumper' trade especially in the last week leading to December 25. 'It"s going very well but never so well that it couldn"t be better. The centre traded well over the Christmas period, figures were on a par with last year. The footfall after Christmas is also on a par with last year. When asked if he felt the economic climate had any major effects on spending habits in the centre, he commented: 'People held back but once it came in the to the last few days people did come out and spend. We had a bumper week leading up to Christmas, generally footfall was on a par with the same time last year.' 'We"re having a good run of it,' Managing Director of Burgess Department Store, Rosie Boles said of the Christmas period. She said the shop, a real Athlone institution, had deliberately decided not to start its sale before Christmas, instead opting for their traditional cuts across all areas on December 27. 'We are very pleased. People are very loyal. They know it"s a genuine sale and they know quality. We had quite a steady run up, we were happy with the footfall that started with our Customer Evening at the end of November. Week on week it was steady. The main difference this year is that people were interested in quality not frivolous items. People are being sensible but they are still spending on more practical items.' Meanwhile, David Fitzgerald of the Church Street Traders Association and owner of the Gift and Design Centre also described the festive period as steady. 'As expected it was not as busy as a usual Christmas but I was not surprised at that. It was steady the whole way through December with no last minute rush.' However, he forecasted a quiet January on the retail front in line with the public"s fear on the jobs front. 'I think things will be very quiet for the next six months because the Government are taking money out of the economy rather than putting it in'. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent CEO of Athlone Chamber of Commerce, Siobhan Bigley summed up Christmas business in the town as 'better than expected', adding that the Athlone Gift Voucher scheme was a great success with over €25,000 worth sold over the festive period. She continued: 'There was a lot of loyal shopping done. The efforts put in by the chamber, council and farm organisations to encourage people paid off. People had a sense of shopping local to keep local jobs. Retailers also responded to that by bringing in sales'. '€25,000 worth of Athlone Chamber vouchers were sold and we only introduced it in November. It gave people choices and we were delighted with the response. That voucher will continue to be available now throughout the year,' she concluded. Christmas is traditionally a boom time for publicans but this year again, that word 'steady' came up again and again from local hostelries who reported a major fall off in festive office parties, contributing to a quieter run-up to the festive season than usual. Chairperson of Athlone Vintners Federation, Paul Donovan of Sean"s Bar commented : 'We"re steady, the run-up wasn"t as busy. It was more steady than busy. It was ok we had a good Christmas'. 'It wasn"t as busy as last year but in the current climate that"s to be expected. The New Year is going to be different. If it stayed steady it"d be ok but if it drops we"re in trouble. Trade has dropped, people are more cagey and cautious, they"re wary about their jobs,' he said.