Freezing weather and the economic downturn failed to deter Christmas shoppers today as the nation went on a spending frenzy on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
With the country's financial woes put to one side, millions of pounds went through the tills as people packed into stores and shopping centres across Britain, bringing some festive cheer to the retail industry.
Stores reported customers were opening up their wallets to snap up traditional gifts as well as expensive items such as televisions before the temporary reversal of VAT ends in the new year.
The last Saturday before Christmas is always one of the busiest of the year for retailers and is the day when many men begin the task of shopping for presents.
But shops were busier and customers were spending more money while fewer sale tags and price cuts were on display compared with this time last year, retailers said.
The spending spree is set to continue, with Visa Europe predicting a record-breaking day on Wednesday, when it expects to process more than 17 million transactions in the UK, worth more than £900 million.
This would represent a year-on-year growth of at least 16%, the card payments company said.
Richard Dickinson, chief executive of the New West End Company, which represents more than 600 traders in Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, was optimistic about trade.
"It's looking pretty good - certainly up 10% on last year," he said. "We think it's going to be significantly greater this year because people have bounced back from recession. Either they are fed up with the recession and want to enjoy Christmas or they are thinking 'we are pulling out of it now'."
Capital Shopping Centres, which represents 14 regional shopping centres including Braehead in Glasgow, Lakeside in Thurrock and Metrocentre, Gateshead, reported its busiest day of trading, following a week in which more than seven million shoppers have passed through the doors of the centres.
