Bargain hunters were out early in Fife as shoppers looked to bag a Boxing Day bargain in the post-Christmas sales.
With prices slashed, queues started forming as early as 5am – an hour before the doors were flung open to shoppers at Next’s Kirkcaldy Retail Park outlet.
Stores across the Kingdom, including Primark in Dunfermline and JD Sports in Kirkcaldy, reported brisk business as locals looked to shake-off the Christmas Day excess and indulge in a little retail therapy.
Shopping Centres across the region, including Kingdom Shopping Centre in Glenrothes, The Kingsgate in Dunfermline and Mercat in Kirkcaldy, were all open and welcoming shoppers as retailers offered discounts of up to 75% on many goods in a bid to increase customer spending.
However, as Kirkcaldy Town Centre remained largely quiet despite many shops opening, it was a different tale at Kirkcaldy Retail Park, where shoppers struggled to find parking spaces due to the sheer number of visitors.
The stark reality in Kirkcaldy of the two very differing retail fortunes in one town for Boxing Day Sales – town centre at 11.45am – retail park at noon pic.twitter.com/UX60PZ7M3D
— Neil Henderson (@C_NHenderson) December 26, 2019
Shopper Julie McKinley from Glenrothes said the free parking and early opening was an attraction to come to Kirkcaldy Retail Park.
“It’s just so much more convenient than the town centre, both from a parking perspective and for getting in and out quickly,” she said.
“I’ve come to get work clothes in the sales and look for holiday clothing for the family.
“It’s certainly been worth while. I’ve probably saved several hundred pounds.”
Fellow bargain hunter Kenny Smith, from Kirkcaldy, added: “We recently moved house so we’ve waited until the sales to see the what is reduced.
“There are some furniture items and lighting in Next which are of interest and we’ve seen some good deals on new sofas.
“The markdowns are certainly an attraction.”
Meanwhile Sarah Lingwood, from Dalgety Bay, took advantage of the substantial price reductions on Christmas stock.
She said: “I always come to the sales to get Christmas stuff to put away until next year.
“They are always the most heavily reduced items, so I’ve got greeting cards, wrapping and novelty things that will be put away as stocking fillers for the family next Christmas.
“I’ve saved around £50 t0 £60 on those things alone so it was worth coming.”
A representative for the Kingdom Centre said: “It hasn’t been too bad – a lot better than we were expecting.
“There are quite a few of the stores in the centre which have opened, it’s only really Home Bargains which hasn’t, and it feels like a typical Sunday which has been good.”
A spokesperson at the Kingsgate in Dunfermline reported the flow of shoppers as steady.
She said: “Every year can be different but this year has been pretty good by the looks of things.”
