Last updated at 15:26, Saturday, 21 November 2009

Christmas Day is now five weeks away and already the festive ringing of cash tills can be heard in our High Street shops.

Good tidings: Carlisle traders are reporting encouraging sales and a sign that perhaps we are moving out of recession

Last Sunday Carlisle’s Christmas lights came on and the previous Thursday late-night Christmas opening began.

And though heavy rain and the flooding that followed may have placed a definite dampener on last Thursday night, the weeks leading up to December 25 are traditionally the busiest time for shops.

But in the midst of a recession can we expect the usual signs of the season?

As soon as any recession begins there are those who claim to spot “green shoots” of recovery and others who see indications that the downturn is deepening or turning into an economic slump.

Those who have lost their jobs in the last year will have one view of the current economic climate.

But as far as city centre businesses in Carlisle are concerned, the recession which made its presence felt last year seems much less obvious – and in some cases even absent – this year.

One sign of an upturn can be found at The Lanes shopping centre. Its commercial director David Jackson said the complex had had 14 units standing empty earlier this year – but 10 of those vacant shops have now been filled, mostly with businesses setting up there on a permanent basis

“Now we have only four empty units, so if you look at the investment by new retailers the shopping centre is looking pretty healthy, as is the city as a whole.”

The first late night shopping evening was Thursday November 12, when more than 2,000 people visited the Lanes, and Mr Jackson said: “That footfall was 50 per cent up on the same evening the previous year.”

Last Sunday when the Christmas lights were switched on, some 30,700 shoppers came to the centre – also up on last year.

He admitted that Thursday night, as flooding ravaged Cumbria, had been much poorer – but put that down to the natural climate rather than the economic one. “Weather apart, I think this year is looking pretty good,” he said. “We don’t experience the peaks and troughs that other parts of the country do.”

However most shops report that they are experiencing peaks after last year’s troughs.

Victoria Farley, general manager of Hoopers department store, said business so far this Christmas shopping season was substantially better than last year.

“October was a really good month,” she said. “The figures were excellent compared to last year.

“We were very nicely up, and November to date has also been excellent.

“I think it is probably one sign that we are coming out of recession. The feelgood factor is on the way back.”

Luxury items which also have a definite practical value, such as handbags or upmarket kitchen items, looked set to be strong sellers this year, Mrs Farley added.

“People have done their bit and have been careful, and now they want to treat themselves. But they are still thinking about what they are spending.

“They want to spend their money on something practical and useful that is worth the investment.

“A really nice handbag is a quality items that will last. And one of our key areas is the cook shop. It is flying at the moment.”

Shops selling more expensive goods such as Jaegers in Greenmarket may be expected to notice a downturn, but it is also detecting positive signs.

Sales assistant Lee Sheriff said: “The last three months have been brilliant for us. From where we are standing it’s a lot better than this time last year.

“As far as our customers are concerned, things are starting to pick up.”

Toys and games are always popular Christmas presents and Sandra Downer, manager of the Early Learning Centre in Castle Street, said: “We’re having a bumper year – it’s been incredible.

“Last year was okay – we hit targets and so on – but it was nothing like this year. It’s well up.”

Mrs Downer believed parents would always be prepared to buy young children toys at Christmas, and Louis Liddle of the Games Workshop in Lowther Street felt the same applied to the computer games sector, regardless of recession.

“Business is booming,” he said. “Judging by the figures we’ve just been looking at we appear to be up on our customer count.”

Jewellery also sells well at Christmas and Malcolm Jopson, co-owner of Jopson’s jewellers in Fisher Street, also reported that business was buoyant.

“We’ve had the best year for Rolex watches that we’ve had for quite some time,” he said.

“People seem to be buying nice things and spending their money rather than saving it while interest rates are so low.”

He added that the busiest period for Christmas presents would come later but said: “All the signs are good – we are getting a lot of enquiries. We need to turn those enquiries into sales.”

Steve Matthews, owner of Bookends and Bookcase in Castle Street, sells books and classical and jazz CDs – both products under pressure as supermarkets increasingly stock bestsellers and there is a growth in the downloading of music.

But he said he was noticing an improvement on last Christmas in both areas.

”Books are decidedly buoyant and people seem to be shopping earlier,” he said. “Perhaps they are thinking ahead more.

“The CD trade is up if anything. CDs are beginning to be seen as something of the past, but there’s been a positive interest. They are doing better than expected.”

Ricky Pieri, manager of Nu-Pets in Lowther Street, said the signs for his Christmas had also been good.

“Last month we did very well compared to October last year,” he said. “Just this week we have been a little bit down, but I think that’s due to the weather.”

One of Carlisle’s newest shops is Cotswold Outdoor in English Street. It has only been open a week so cannot compare this year with last, but sales assistant Bill Hancock said: “It looks quite promising.

“We’ve had a lot of people looking around for Christmas presents so it all looks good.”

For many shops it is too early to tell how the Christmas trade will turn out. And if the bad weather continues the good signs some have seen may disappear.

But if the rain stays off for long enough and the flood waters start to recede, then maybe they will reveal some green shoots in Carlisle at least.

SBlease@cngroup.co.uk

First published at 08:58, Saturday, 21 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk