Christmas was a success!

25/01/10

Boxing Day for the city centre was one of the busiest on record.

Bullring shopping centre welcomed an average of 1 million visitors a week in the run up to Christmas, and across Birmingham’s retail area trading increased by 4.3% in December 2009 compared to 2008

The Boxing Day sales proved to be one of the busiest days of the year for many retailers, with some stores experiencing their most successful ever trading figures. Harvey Nichols at The Mailbox opened for the first time ever on Boxing Day to early morning queues of an estimated 3,000 shoppers and by lunchtime thousands more had passed through its doors.

Alan Chatham, Chair of Retail Birmingham said:

“After a difficult year for many retailers, strong Christmas trading figures have been particularly welcome. Boxing Day trade was also supported by our joint initiative with Centro and National Express to secure additional local transport services that enabled visitors, retailers and staff to travel into the city centre easily and safely.”

Despite the huge number of visitors to Birmingham’s main retail areas, crime continued to fall in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Total crime recorded for December in the city centre area dropped to 972 offences – a 37 per cent reduction on the same month in 2008.

Shoplifting offences were also down to 131, a drop of five per cent on last December.

Chief Supt Nicholson said: “Rising visitor numbers and falling crime will continue to ensure that Birmingham builds on its reputation as the safest major city in the country.”