With tough new tier restrictions putting a swathe of the South East under lockdown, only 8.6 million across Britain will be trawling aisles for bargains. The capital is expected to take the biggest financial hit as tills that jingled to the tune of £779 million on Boxing Day last year fall relatively silent. Takings are set to plunge by 76 per cent to just £187 million for stores that are allowed to open in Tier 4, the Shopping for Christmas 2020 report reveals. “In tiers 1, 2 and 3, retailers can continue to trade so the picture is mixed. However, the impact on spending in Scotland and Wales - which are both bringing in new lockdown measures from Boxing Day - as well as areas in England that are already in tier 4, is severe.”

Source: Daily Mirror December 23, 2020 00:01 UTC