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Boxing Day sales attract 1.3m to London's West End

London's West End retailers attracted more than 1.3 million shoppers with their Boxing Day sales this year, according to new figures.

Data from the New West End Company showed that £120 million was spent in the capital's top shopping district on December 26th and 27th, the BBC reports.

Consumers flocked to shops on Oxford Street despite a Tube strike and shorter trading hours on Boxing Day itself.

Indeed, Sunday saw 500,000 visit stores in the West End, followed by another 800,000 on Monday.

Major department stores reported some of their best ever sales, with figures up considerably on last year.

"It was a very good Boxing Day," said a spokesman for the New West End Company. "It was very touristy and is still very busy.

"We could end the whole year up six per cent on last year."

As well as looking for bargains, shoppers may also have been eager to avoid the VAT rise during this year's post-Christmas sales.

According to research by gocompare.com, seven in ten consumers will be reconsidering large purchases in 2011 because of the 2.5 per cent increase in VAT.
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