Southern Shoppers NI Trade Bonanza

The tills are ringing out for Christmas as southern shoppers continue to flock north.

As much as 50% of shop sales in Northern Ireland's border towns (like Newry, pictured) and main cities across the province are from people travelling from the Republic to spend, spend, spend.

Retail experts claim that bargains in clothing, baby care products and alcohol are drawing shoppers from the south - but many are also filling their food trolleys when they are here.

As a result, RGDATA, the group representing family-owned grocery stores in Ireland, has sought a meeting with Mary Coughlan, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, over sharp falls in its members’ business caused by cross-border trading.

The organisation says retailers in border counties in the Republic are facing a crisis and claims that some have lost as much as half their normal Christmas-time trade, roughly the same as that flooding into Northern Ireland.

(BMcC)