While it will be another couple of weeks before before Athlone Towncentre has full figures for the Christmas period, marketing manager Shirley Delahunt says she is “quite encouraged” by business over the past week.
“Over the past week footfall and sales figures have been quite positive. All shops in the Towncentre went in with 50 to 70 per cent off. Where people are getting value for money they are still spending money. On the face of it I am quite encouragecd by business in the last week,” she said.
“The week of December 27, we had some stores opening early for sales, with Next open at 5am and River Island and Zara at 6am. For December 27 and 28 we had very strong sales figures.”
And while the first cold snap in early December saw a drop in business, Ms Delahunt reports that business was steady during the second pre-Christmas cold snap. “It was closer to Christmas so people had to get shopping done - I suppose cabin fever was setting in at that stage too!” she added.
