Retailers in Dundee will provide a shopping ”experience” this Christmas, despite claims that many customers are planning to cutback on spending this winter.
Derek Little, chairman of city centre action group DD One, believes the city is already carving out a strong reputation for itself as a shopping destination and will provide the sense of magic commonly associated with the festive period.
His positive outlook may be tempered somewhat by a survey that suggests 75% of adults will be cutting back on the cost of shopping as households implement austerity measures.
Asked if he believed Dundee had a good enough blend of retailers to perform strongly, Mr Little said: ”I think that there is and if you were to look at the city centre 20 years ago then that probably wasn’t the case. Now people can come to Dundee and get a full shopping experience.
”With the internet, people can order things and they’ll come in brown boxes in the post but most traders in Dundee can offer a shopping experience and I think that’s what people want.
”We have two large shopping centres, a good blend of retailers and plenty of parking. There might be one or two gaps but the feedback that I hear, particularly from visitors from Aberdeen, is Dundee is on the up.”
After last year’s bad weather and postal problems, Mr Little said he hoped retailers will not have to worry about such conditions this year.
”Dundee is still small enough to be cosy but large enough to attract people from other shopping areas,” he continued. ”Any trader would say the city has never come to a standstill like it did last year.
”The whole country was affected but hopefully we’re geared up for it this time.”
Encouraging shoppers to part with money in the first place may be the trickiest problem if the findings of the Co-operative’s Annual Christmas Spending Survey are correct.
Published today, the report suggests three quarters of UK adults will be cutting back on their expenditure with presents for friends, nights out and clothes facing the biggest squeeze.
The survey suggests consumers are increasingly feeling the pinch, with the number of people reducing their budget up by 5% on last year.
The traditional dinner looks set to survive, however, with most refusing to miss out on turkey with the trimmings.