BARGAIN hunters rose at the crack of dawn to hit the sales as thousands of other residents across South Lakeland slept, seemingly nonplussed by offers of dramatic discounts, reports Nadia Jefferson-Brown.

But as the first day of the winter sales wore on, increasingly more people ventured out and continued to head for the shops throughout this week.

Red and white signs proclaiming the launch of massive reductions' came out in abundance, with giant posters in some shop windows blocking out all sight of the cut-price goods inside.

Before daylight dawned last Friday (December 27), the Next store in Kendal had flung open its doors for a 13-hour sales scrum with a large team of staff some of whom had arrived just after 5am to prepare stock armed with smiles.

Keeping with tradition, a queue had wound its way down Stricklandgate long before the store's opening time. One saleswoman said of the early rush: "I believe the queue was up to M&S. I came at 6.30am and it was pretty mad then. The queue was right round the shop."

Retail havens such as Kendal's Westmorland Shopping Centre attracted its fair share of customers as shoppers sought shelter from the drizzle.

"We are always busy when it gets wet, and I am sure traders will be very pleased," said operations supervisor Martin Pickering.

Larger stores in the town also attracted a steady flow, with Beales proving popular and Marks and Spencer's tills ringing through a healthy load of food and clothes.

Some towns and villages in the central lakes area were slower to wake up to the bargains to behold, with Ambleside Chamber of Trade's Bill Smith saying the first day of the sales had not been as busy as last year.

However, Jak Hirst, of Jesters, Ambleside, told the Gazette yesterday: "It has been very buoyant this week and there is a lovely atmosphere. I think a lot of people came up to get outdoor clothing for the year that gives quite a boost, and other businesses get a spin-off from that."

In between serving customers, Richard Day, of Country Cousins Boutique, Main Street, Kirkby Lonsdale, told the Gazette the town was "very busy" as several shops offered "serious savings".

While chairman of Ulverston Traders Association Ralph Spours said the town had fared well, adding: "There are plenty of bargains. We haven't got any serious complaints to make. The information I have is that we have done really quite well."

January 3, 2003 09:30