Cut-price designer shopping suits you, sir

Kildare Village, a chic retail centre west of Dublin where designer clothes are half price, is booming because of "guilt-free" shopping.

Scott Malkin, the head of Value Retail, which owns Kildare, Bicester Village and another seven outlets across Europe, says the downturn is making Kildare more attractive than ever to shoppers.

"This is where people come to do their guilt-free shopping. Women who paid hundreds of pounds for a Dior dress in Bond Street can come here and get it for half that or even lower."

And there's another boom: in male shoppers. Mr Malkin adds that more men than ever are joining their womenfolk because they are less busy at work. "They are not buying new cars but they can get a new suit."