RETAILERS were reporting brisk trade today, although so-called ‘Panic Saturday’ looks like it has failed to materialise.

High street spending in the UK was expected to reach £1.2billion today, in what is tipped to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Some of the country’s biggest high street names have slashed prices, although they hope to avoid a repeat of the violent scenes that marred ‘Black Friday’ at the end of last month.

At Bournemouth’s Castlepoint Shopping Centre, general manager Peter Matthews said: “There’s certainly been no panic anywhere here, it has been like a busy normal Saturday so far.

“It is busy, we’ve had more cars in here than we normally would have, but I think people started early and they’re going to carry on right up until Christmas.

“Numbers may be slightly down compared to the last Saturday before Christmas last year, but I think it may get hectic on Monday when the turkey run starts.”

Meanwhile, when the Daily Echo spoke to the Dolphin Shopping Centre at midday, centre administrator Lisa King said: “We have queues of traffic in front of the Lighthouse, waiting to get into the car park. I think numbers are just going to build steadily. We have a choir coming in at 2pm, and things are going to be busy. We are expecting a deluge this afternoon.”

Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce president Mandy Payne, said last week was quieter than normal in Bournmouth town centre.

She added: “I haven’t heard about any panic out there, I think an awful lot has been bought online this year.

“I’ve been talking to some of the big supermarkets and they’re all achieving what they predicted this year. Its busy, but not mad.”