Numbers up 10% year on year
About 1 million shoppers flooded into London's West End this Easter, with levels up 10 per cent on last year and beating retailer's expectations, revealed the New West End Company.

The good weather, widely publicised flagship openings - including Abercrombie & Fitch, Cos, Armani Casa and Primark - together with an influx of domestic and international shopping tourists helped to drive footfall.

New West End Company spokesman Jace Tyrrell said: 'Despite the mass exodus of Easter holidaymakers out of the UK and London, the West End has been buzzing with hoards of shoppers. Retail confidence in the West End was strong with most retailers optimistic for a good Easter weekend's trading. By and large, expectations have been exceeded with a very strong trading performance in particular on Friday, overshadowing a quieter Saturday.'

John Lewis Oxford Street spokeswoman Kim Seymour said: 'The sunshine brought shoppers in to departments such as garden furniture, with fashions also doing very well - particularly in the holiday shop areas, such as swimwear. Family shoppers were in abundance, with toys having a very good weekend.'

Hamleys chief executive Nick Mather added: 'The West End has achieved extremely positive sales figures over the Easter period, showing a marked increase on the same period last year. The store has been a hive of activity with a number of Easter Bunny themed events for all the family.'