London Shoppers Undeterred by Boxing Day Subway Strike
December 27, 2011, 12:05 AM ESTBy Michelle E. Frazer
(Adds midday sales figures in the third paragraph, soccer games in final paragraph.)
Dec. 26 (Bloomberg) -- London shoppers flocked to stores on what is traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the year even as the subway system was disrupted by striking train drivers in the first of four planned disruptions.
Transport for London said on its website that parts of the subway, known as the Tube, are open and extra buses are operating to busy shopping areas.
The New West End Company, which represents more than 600 fashion-led brands in central London’s Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, said retailers reported sales over 15 million pounds ($23.5 million) in the first three hours of trading. The company forecasts 700,000 shoppers will visit the area today.
“Despite the Tube disruptions we’ve had a very strong start to our Boxing Day sale with record sales in the first hour,” Sue West, director of operations at the Selfridges department store, said in an e-mailed statement. Sales in the first hour of trading at its Oxford Street site were higher than last year.
London Underground Ltd. was denied an interim injunction by a U.K. court against the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, on Dec. 22 to stop the train drivers striking over demands for triple holiday pay. The strikes will take place between today and Feb. 13.
Arsenal postponed its Premier League soccer match against Wolverhampton Wanderers to Dec. 27 from today because of the strike. The scheduled Premier League game between Chelsea and Fulham went ahead.
--Editor: Sheldon Reback
To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle E. Frazer in London at mfrazer@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Sheldon Reback at sreback@bloomberg.net
