Super Saturday at The Trafford Centre

TILLS are ringing at The Trafford Centre this weekend, as thousands of shoppers brave the weather to take part in Super Saturday.

With online deliveries seriously affected by poor weather in many parts of the UK, shoppers have come out in force to bag their final gifts at Malls such as The Trafford Centre. An estimated 12 million shoppers were expected to hit UK malls today (Saturday) with each shopper expected to spend in the region of £150 each. Gordon McKinnon, director of operations at The Trafford Centre, said: "People are turning out in huge numbers this weekend to do their last-minute Christmas shopping despite the wintry conditions. "The snow isn't stopping them, and we're more than ready to welcome them. Operationally we are fully geared up for this. "All major and local roads around the Centre are clear; we had our car parks cleared and open by dawn, and public transport has been running smoothly all day. While the Malls were naturally quieter at the start of the day, shoppers here are definitely on a mission to spend, and by lunchtime everything was in full swing. “Retailers are reporting buoyant trade levels, and our cafes and restaurants are also well up on last year. "Customers are telling us that our free car parking is a big attraction in these austere times - £10 or more saved on parking charges is a significant amount and could pay for another present for someone! "This is undoubtedly one of the reasons why Centres such as this one are faring better than many town centres at the moment. And of course, when the weather is like this, a warm dry Centre is an attractive proposition. “Our stores are telling us today that electricals and homewares are doing particularly well, with many shoppers bagging the big-ticket items now, before the VAT hike in early January affects pricing. Toys and games are selling well, and of course partywear for the season ahead is proving ever-popular." The Centre has used more than 20 tons of grit across its 150-acre site in the last 24-hours, with staff working throughout the night to ensure roads are safe and car parks ready to open.