New Year damp squib for sales as shops and shoppers stay switched off in Kendal (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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New Year damp squib for sales as shops and shoppers stay switched off in Kendal
1:26pm Tuesday 1st January 2013 in Business
Shopping free zone - Kendal town centre today
THE few bargain hunters who ventured into Kendal today found buying opportunities thin on the ground as key retailers decided not to bother opening.
Although shop chains often use New Year's Day to kick off their January sales, some of big names decided to keep their doors firmly shut in the town.
Beales department store and TK Maxx were perhaps the highest profile openers, while outlets whose doors remained firmly shut included Marks and Spencer, Next and Burton.
The Westmorland Shopping Centre and shops in Elephant Yard also remained closed, although on the edge of the town centre K Village was open to business.
One Kendal shop that found it worthwhile opening was Bensons for Beds.
Retail manager Paul Stockdale said: "We open on both Boxing Day and New Year's Day every year and this year found trade quite good on both days."
Comments(12)
Cas220
says...
4:21pm Tue 1 Jan 13
nickjohn
says...
6:20pm Tue 1 Jan 13
She has worked christmas eve, the period between christmas and new year, including new years eve..
As a family we are grateful for her employer to decide not to open today so that she could spend a day with us over what is supposed to be a time of festive cheer.
Far too many people forget that just because they are on holiday others are not and its this selfish attitude that means families miss out on being together when they should be relaxing and enjoying themselves....
Periodic Mabel
says...
9:57pm Tue 1 Jan 13
jazzactivist
says...
12:29pm Wed 2 Jan 13
Kendmoor
says...
1:01pm Wed 2 Jan 13
life cycle too
says...
1:29pm Wed 2 Jan 13
jazzactivist wrote:Perhaps those people from other cultures who do not observe the same religious holidays or calenders would appreciate the chance to shop?
I can't imagine why anyone would want to go shopping on Boxing Day or New Years Day. They are meant to be festive days for relaxing and being with family and friends, not shopping which can be done throughout the rest of the year. Even new year sales usually go on for the month of January, so why the rush. Retail and restaurant staff need the break as well.
A lot of people who work on the festive days like the chance to shop when they get a day off, and as long as there are employees who are willing to work without being cajoled into doing so, then why not.
My parents live in France, and had their mail delivered on Boxing Day, so it clearly is not a universal holiday Day.
Spotty Fish
says...
4:19pm Wed 2 Jan 13
No, they are all there because if they refused to work or said they weren't willing, they probably wouldn't have a job.
And as for people from other cultures and religions. Please, surely it should be a case of respecting and accepting our traditions, as I would theirs?
I really suggest you think carefully about your previous post, and the implications of what you are saying for a lot of people.
life cycle too
says...
7:54pm Wed 2 Jan 13
Now I am self employed, and have to work whenever my customers provide work for me to do. I don't feel forced, it just makes good business sense.
I still know many people like me who are happy to work on Boxing Days and New Years Day with no coercion on the part of their employers, so I guess you must move in different circles - you seem to imply that there is a Dickensian order amongst employers.
There are of course many businesses in this area, open on Sundays, run by non Christians who are happy to open for trade, and likely see Christmas as a further opportunity!
nickjohn
says...
9:00pm Wed 2 Jan 13
life cycle too wrote:Over the years I have worked Chris¬¬tmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years day or any other day which was required but I soon realised that my family life meant more on special occasions than the whim of a customer.
In the past, I worked Christmas Day and New Years Days until I had a family of my own - it was a pleasant task and better paid than regular days.
Now I am self employed, and have to work whenever my customers provide work for me to do. I don't feel forced, it just makes good business sense.
I still know many people like me who are happy to work on Boxing Days and New Years Day with no coercion on the part of their employers, so I guess you must move in different circles - you seem to imply that there is a Dickensian order amongst employers.
There are of course many businesses in this area, open on Sundays, run by non Christians who are happy to open for trade, and likely see Christmas as a further opportunity!
Yes I know that as a self employed person the customer comes first as they pay the bills etc etc but I have been self employed for some 30 years and have grown to realise that customers come and customers go and in this day and age have very little loyalty, how many people still shop in the corner shop or on the high street instead of going to the super market, yet your family is forever....
Now I find myself having a wife who must work over the festive period because her large, faceless, corporate bosses say she must (this is whilst the MD of the firm suns themselves on a beach).. Whilst bank holiday pay of time and a half sounds great when its based around a minimum wage it is not that much after tax and NI and when it is not paid until the end of January loses a lot of its charm..
Yes we all know there are non Christians out there happy to work on our religious festivals but there are also non Christians out there that shut up shop on their religious festivals and we don't go round moaning about it we just accept it.
life cycle too
says...
3:23pm Thu 3 Jan 13
The world we live in is changing - the internet has put pressure on shops - but delivery services have so far struggled to cope with the increased demand on their services, providing an opportunity for shops to exploit that weakness - and sticking to traditional standards might hinder that.
The loss of COMET may well worry some large chains - and will no doubt worry employees more, but the answer is in both their hands.
nickjohn
says...
4:39pm Thu 3 Jan 13
life cycle too wrote:"The loss of COMET may well worry some large chains - and will no doubt worry employees more, but the answer is in both their hands."
I agree - I don't expect shops to open, I just appreciate why some would chose to shop on those days which traditionally have been holiday periods.
The world we live in is changing - the internet has put pressure on shops - but delivery services have so far struggled to cope with the increased demand on their services, providing an opportunity for shops to exploit that weakness - and sticking to traditional standards might hinder that.
The loss of COMET may well worry some large chains - and will no doubt worry employees more, but the answer is in both their hands.
The chain my wife works for have seen sales increase beyond expectation due to the close of COMET and are exploiting the lack of availability of white goods such as fridges, freezers, washers etc etc...
worldsgonemad says...
3:30pm Tue 1 Jan 13