JINGLE TILLS!
ONE the last Saturday before Christmas, shoppers were out in their droves to pick up their last-minute buys.
And thousands headed straight for Newcastle city centre and the Metrocentre to get their presents ahead of December 25.
Rebecca Alstead, 29, travelled to Newcastle with her grandmother Kath Rodgers, 82, from Middlesbrough, to do her last shop.
Rebecca said: “I came to do the lastminute shopping, mostly for my dad, Simon. Anything to do with trains – he’s a great train fan so I will get him something to do with that.
“We came to Newcastle early this morning and parked at 8am. We then went to my brother’s flat in Dean Street to wait for the shops opening and we came straight out to get what we want. I’ve also got Christmas presents to buy for my cousins.”
Ollie Smith, 11, from Netherton, near Rothbury in Northumberland, was shopping with his dad Neil.
Ollie, a pupil at Dr Thomlinson C of E Middle School in Rothbury, said: “I’ve come to Newcastle to buy my granny and grandad’s Christmas presents. I think I’ll get a book or something like that.
“They are quite hard to buy for as they have everything they want. It’s granny’s birthday as well and she’s 72, so that makes it even more difficult.”
Dad Neil said: “We left home at 7.30am so we could park in Newcastle – I’m sure it will get more manic later as the day goes on.”
Bethany Reay, 24, from Washington, was shopping with her partner Eoin Burrell, 25, and two-year-old daughter Halle.
Bethany said: “We’ve come out for Christmas presents for me. I’ve got two pairs of Kurt Geiger shoes. I saw them yesterday in the Metrocentre so we’ve come out today to get them. They will be wrapped and put under the Christmas tree. Halle’s presents are all bought and wrapped and so are Eoin’s and everyone else’s. The last-minute things are for me.”
Antonia Boyce, 18, of Durham, was just starting her Christmas shopping yesterday.
The customer service adviser said: “I am shopping for my girlfriend Eve – she wants make-up and I can’t find the type that she wants anywhere. I’ll also buy her clothes.
“I’m really a last-minute shopper. I’ve still got my mam, stepdad, brother, sister, grandma, grandad and cousin all to buy for. I have worked every hour God sends and I got paid yesterday, so I am doing my shopping now. I hope I find everything today. I’ve no time to get any of it online.”
Shop staff were also raced off their feet.
Rebecca Beynon, 26, supervisor at the Perfume Shop in Eldon Square, said: “This Saturday is the busiest day of the weekend leading up to Christmas for us.
“We opened at 8am and we’ve been non-stop. Fragrances are a great last-minute buy and the men just grab what they want and buy it. On Christmas Eve our customers will be all men coming in
It’s manic on Saturdays and especially on the last Saturday before Christmas. It’s also match day, which makes it even more busy
SALES ASSISTANT GEORGIA HUNTER