EXPERTS who predicted a slump in sales this Christmas were yesterday proved wrong as a last-minute shopping spree provided a festive gift for retailers.
The city's traders reported around a 30% increase on last week's sales after what turned out to be the busiest day of the year for many.
Liverpool department store John Lewis predicted it will have taken £2.5m this week by the time they close at 4pm today .
And Lewis's reported a 20% increase in sales compared to the same trading day last year.
It means Liverpool is bucking the national trend, according to Ed Oliver, chairman of the Liverpool Leisure and Stores Committee and manager of Clayton Square Shopping Centre.
He said: "There was a lot of doom and gloom last weekend because things were going quite slowly.
"But people had forgotten that, since Christmas falls on a Saturday, there are two or three extra trading days compared to a normal year.
"We were being very cautious, but this week has been fantastic, and caution has gone out the window.
"Most of our retailers are reporting a 30% increase on last week. It is absolutely unheard of to have such a huge upsurge in the last week - normally you would have expected that difference to be around 4% or 5%.
"Listening to our counterparts elsewhere, it appears Liverpool is bucking the trend nationally. The city is absolutely heaving.
"A lot of that is down to the publicity the city has had recently and we have got a fantastic offer in terms of street entertainment, the trees and the lights."
Items sold out at several stores included dancing robot Robosapien toys and Cabbage Patch dolls, which are apparently enjoying a revival.
Must-have gifts for adults have included iPods, digital stereos, cameras, Radley handbags, cosmetics - and pink fairy lights, according to one city centre store.
Alastair Boot, general manager at John Lewis, said: "Sales have really taken off this week.
"If all goes well, we will have taken over £2.5m by the time we close our doors at 4 o'clock on Christmas Eve.
Alan Turner, managing director of Lewis's, said: "It has certainly been the biggest trading day in December and possibly in the year, we don't know yet.
"Compared to the same day last year, we have put on 20% it really has been quite busy."
However, most stores clearance sales will not start until Monday.
The last-minute shopping rush is expected to see £1.31bn going through the tills today - equivalent to £909,000 every minute.
It is estimated that just over one-fifth of this will be puton credit cards.
deborahjames@dailypost.co.uk
