Residents spend big on booze
BOOZE-LOVING Leicester residents will spend more on wine and spirits than anyone else this Christmas, according to a survey.
Experian interviewed 4,000 people around the country and its findings were that the average Yuletide alcohol shop for Leicester people was £65.19.
That was way ahead of 12th place Nottingham, where the average was only £47.35.
The city’s spend was also nearly £7 more than Liverpool, which came second in the league, followed by Edinburgh, Coventry and Manchester.
Leicester also topped the leagues for all kinds of Christmas foods, with the survey suggesting that the average Leicester resident would be spending £22 on a turkey, £21 on cheese, £19 on mince pies, £23 on vegetables and £18 on Christmas pudding.
The total average food spend for Leicester people was £153, with London coming in second at £141, despite the higher costs in the capital.
The survey was met with scepticism on the streets of Leicester.
Ted Peall, 80, of Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, said: “My wife and I don’t drink so we don’t spend anything on alcohol.
“We don’t spend a lot on food either - my wife makes everything from scratch and I don’t think we spend more at Christmas than at any other time of the year.”
Jane Freeman, 37, of Glenfield, said: “We spend a bit more at Christmas but certainly not £65.
“People might buy better quality drink at Christmas but £65 seems a lot.”
Louisa Choudry, 23, who lives in the city centre, said: “On Saturday night it seems like people drink a lot but I don’t drink anything. I drank a bit when I was 18 and lived with other students but none of us drank that much.”
Anand Chinnasamy, who owns BS Off Licence in Granby Street, said: “I don’t think people in Leicester do spend more and over the years the amount people drink seems to us to be going down - maybe because of the economy. We see less street drinkers, too.
“I don’t believe Leicester people drink more anyway. I don’t drink and I think a lot of other people here don’t.”
Nilesh Vadoliya of 23 Wine and Whiskey in the same street said: “I wouldn’t say Leicester was spending more, although we do have people coming here to buy special whiskeys and other drinks for Christmas.”
Other findings also seemed to favour Leicester as the Christmas capital of the country.
According to Experian, Leicester people love Christmas the most, with 66 per cent of people claiming to get “a lot of enjoyment” out of the festive period.
It also found Leicester people spent an average of £60 on Christmas lights - twice the national average.