In fact, visitor numbers for the month are up seven per cent on last year's, according to the centre's manager Martin Walsh.

Mr Walsh also said that despite the retail gloom being reported elsewhere, many of its stores were reporting double-digit percentage growth in sales.

He said, "We had 120,000 visitors in the last week of October alone, an 11 per cent increase over the same period last year and a 20 per cent hike on the week before.

"The colder weather means that warm winter clothes, hats, scarves and boots sold well, while the discounted and own-brand goods on offer at Tesco and Sainsbury's have also been encouraging significantly more shoppers to the centre."

He said more than 470,000 shoppers came through the doors in October, a 15 per cent jump on September, and a seven per cent rise on October last year when the visitor numbers were 437,000.

Mr Walsh said bargain-hunters from the Republic of Ireland had swelled the number of visitors to the Craigavon shopping centre in recent months, while the mid-term school break and the Halloween lantern parade also helped to build momentum.

"There's no doubt that the strength of the euro against sterling is helping to bring in cross-border shoppers to Rushmere and we have been offering a free bus service from Drogheda and Monaghan to facilitate this important flow of trade," he said. "At this rate, we are definitely on track to exceed our goal of eight million visitors this year."

Last month, two new stores opened in Rushmere - JD Sports and Monsoon Accessorize - bringing the total number of shops to around 60.

A £40 million expansion project has also been planned for the shopping centre, which would create around 400 jobs.

Under the extension, the East Mall side of the centre, which faces Craigavon Lakes and the Civic Centre, will be redeveloped to provide a cinema, shops, restaurants and more parking.

A new, three-storey car park will increase parking in the centre from 1,777 spaces to 2,206, while a new access road will help alleviate congestion problems currently experienced at peak times.

A spokesman said it was hoped that planning permission would be granted in December with construction likely to take up to two years.