Best of the Black Friday bargains on High St
Shoppers urged to drop devices & hit the shops Furious boss Ashley tells Chancellor: You’re a child
CONSUMERS are being urged to pound the pavements rather than surf the net this Black Friday in an effort to boost our beleaguered high street stores.
We are set to splurge £8billion in the UK today as the festive spending kicks off with the annual bargain blitz.
Many stores were already offering discounts earlier in the week and customers are expected to spend £80billion between now and Christmas.
But householders are being urged to buy from physical stores where possible to help the nation’s flagging high street shops.
Brits are expected to blow £13.4million a minute over the next four days, spending a total of £8.29billion, up 6% on last year. High street retailers are set to make £4.80billion, a rise of 3% on 2017.Card giant Mastercard predicts we will each spend each £336.34 on average on presents.
One in ten of us plan to take a sickie today so we can hit the stores, research by Virgin Mobile found. Sundeep Kaur, head of merchant services at Visa UK and Ireland, said: “This Christmas we are urging people to think about where they shop. We can all play a part in securing the future of high streets and independent retailers, which is why we’re urging the nation to join us in supporting our high streets.”
Black Friday began in the US, where sales started the day after Thanksgiving.
The term is said to reflect the congested roads and crowded pavements seen on the day. Here, we round up this year’s best high street offers... Hugo Boss cologne, Perfume Shop, was £85, now £44.99
Robert Cavalli perfume, Superdrug, was £64, now £40.11 Braun Series 3 3040s Wet & Dry Shaver, Boots, was £109.99, now £44.99
The Sanctuary Spa Pamper Me gift set, Superdrug, was £40, now Babyliss curl secret, Argos, was £99.99, now £44.99 was Matalan, now £20 £119, £47.60 Saturn sequin midi dress (pictured above) Monsoon was £99, now £74.25
Navy Midweight Hooded Padded Jacket (Men’s), Burtons, was £65, now £33
Rotary Ladies’ Two-Tone Rose Gold Tone Bracelet Watch, H Samuel, was £219, Now £99
Tripp Sapphire Express 2-wheel medium suitcase, Debenhams, Was £59 Now £29.50 MAVERICK Tycoon Mr Ashley SPORTS Direct boss Mike Ashley has branded Chancellor Philip Hammond a “child” and vowed to save the high street.
The tycoon slammed Mr Hammond’s Budget announcement to cut business rates for firms with a rateable value of £51,000 or less.
Mr Ashley said it was a “token gesture”, adding: “The fact a profitable group like Sports Direct will be able to claim two hundred grand shows it is the work of a child.”
It came as the boss pledged to make a “real difference” after snapping up House of Fraser and Evans Cycles.
Sports Direct and House of Fraser said: “Mike Ashley has vowed to save the struggling British high street.”
The billionaire added: “Since we acquired House of Fraser, we’ve been working around the clock to save as many stores and jobs as possible.
DEMANDED
“I believe politicians and landlords should be doing more to save... high streets.”
It comes a week after it was announced another four House of Fraser stores would close.
Mr Ashley also plans to speak next month to a committee of MPs investigating the future of high streets.
Sports Direct said: “The MPs originally wanted somebody from House of Fraser to speak for about 15 minutes as part of a panel of four, and said they didn’t mind who it was.
“Mike thought that wouldn’t achieve anything, so instead he demanded to go along in person for a full hour.”
The Treasury did not respond directly to Mr Ashley’s comments but said: “Our £1.6billion plan to support high streets includes £900million of focused business rates relief where we think it is most needed, on the small shops and cafes that are so important to our high streets.
“We’re also putting £675million into a Future High Streets Fund to help high streets to evolve.” It added: “Since 2016 we’ve announced reductions to business rates worth more than £13billion over the next five years.”