Retailers are split over the value of trading on Christmas Day, with half opening and half taking a well-earned day off, a poll by C-Store has revealed.
Many of those who did open said providing a service for regular customers was their main motivation rather than sales, but the day still proved profitable for most.
Faruk Patel, who runs a Spar store in Blackburn, Lancashire, had plenty of customers throughout the day. "Business was excellent. We sold a lot of wines and beer and even some last-minute groceries," he said.
However, Paresh Patel of Mace Xpress in Bow, London said: "We've never opened on Christmas Day, and I don't plan to start. It's the one day of the year that we all spend at home together as a family, so it's very special to us. Our customers wouldn't expect it - we've never had any demand for it."
Many of those who did open said providing a service for regular customers was their main motivation rather than sales, but the day still proved profitable for most.
Faruk Patel, who runs a Spar store in Blackburn, Lancashire, had plenty of customers throughout the day. "Business was excellent. We sold a lot of wines and beer and even some last-minute groceries," he said.
However, Paresh Patel of Mace Xpress in Bow, London said: "We've never opened on Christmas Day, and I don't plan to start. It's the one day of the year that we all spend at home together as a family, so it's very special to us. Our customers wouldn't expect it - we've never had any demand for it."
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