Financial Times FT.com

UK retailers braced for a tough Christmas

By FT Reporters

Published: November 28 2008 21:31 | Last updated: November 28 2008 21:31

Anyone emerging from the London Underground into the wintry drizzle on London’s main shopping street on Friday morning would have been struck by two things – how many shops were open and how few people were in them.

Oxford Street retailers, desperate to trigger a pre-Christmas rush, had opened at 7am promising shoppers “VIP treatment” and “the real posh factor”. There were promises of goody bags, a free breakfast and the odd glass of Bucks Fizz, not to mention discounts of up to 50 per cent at some stores.

You have viewed your allowance of free articles. If you wish to view more, click the button below.

Read this