Boxing Day 2016: Bargain hunters out in force as quarter of Brits shop for festive sales

Figures show 23 per cent of people braved the crowds the day after Christmas - down from 32 per cent in 2015

Customers queue outside Harrods in Knightsbridge, London, in preparation of the Boxing Day Sale (Getty)

Boxing Day bargain hunters were up early and out in force this morning, though figures suggest fewer Britons will go sales shopping this year than in the past.

A quarter of Britons (23 per cent) will shop in the Boxing Day sales, down from 32 per cent last year, according to Barclaycard.

The figures suggest the incentive to buy in the sales has weakened following widespread discounting, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, that continued well into December.

But post-Christmas shoppers are still predicted to go on a £3.85 billion bargain hunt on Boxing Day, spending £2.95 billion on the high street and another £900 million online, according to VoucherCodes.co.uk and the Centre for Retail Research.

Queues formed down the street at London department store Harrods, which opened its doors at 10am.

Butlers gave croissants, coffee and bacon sandwiches to those patiently waiting, and put on a dance show.

But the morning really kicked off when the store opened, as punters rushed in and crowds formed around the handbag displays for Gucci, Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton.

Shay Walton emerged from the Knightsbridge store with a Michael Kors rucksack, after waiting in the queue from 8.50am.

When she arrived outside she headed straight to the back of the store, saying its queue attracts the fewest people.

“I come here every year,” she said. She told others in the queue: “I'm an expert.”

The 28-year-old rushed inside, grabbed the bag, paid, and left.

“It's a swarm, it's like ants in there. It's crazy,” she said “It was too hot in there, I can't take it”.

Ms Walton paid £190 for the bag, and estimates she saved around £80. She said she was on her way to the Topshop sale and then to Marble Arch.

Harrods' managing director Michael Ward predicted that women's handbags and shoes would be the biggest sellers of the day.

“Women can never, quite rightly, get enough pairs of shoes,” he said.

Mr Ward said it was shaping up to be a great day for them.

“I have never seen this many people on Boxing Day coming into the store,” he said.

“2016 has been a great year for Harrods, we have seen a lot of overseas visitors.”

Mr Ward said he thought the number of foreign visitors was rising because “London has become a much nicer place to visit”.

Harrods butlers serve mince pies, tea and coffee to queuing crowds ahead of the opening of the Harrods winter sale in Knightsbridge, London (PA)

But he added: “We have had a small advantage because of the pound”.

The New West End Company was also expecting a bumper Boxing Day due to international shoppers, projecting a spend of £55 million.

Chief executive Jace Tyrrell said: “Boxing Day always delivers for the West End but this year promises to be especially strong for retailers as visitors from around the globe make the most of the amazing deals available from our world-class mix of retailers combined with the relative value of the weak pound.

“We expect a significantly higher number of Chinese tourists to come over specifically to bargain-hunt.”

PA