PORTADOWN'S town centre traders have shattered gloomy predictions by enjoying a successful Christmas period.
A Portadown Times survey of some of the town's leading businesses this week revealed that most sales were at least on a par with figures from last year.
A quiet first half of December, coupled with the ongoing credit crunch, had sparked fears amon
g traders that this could be a grim Christmas for a town centre hit by a number of closures in the last 12 months.
However, most traders reported a sudden surge in business ahead of Christmas Day last Friday.
Gents outfitter Martin McQuillan of the long-established McQuillan's Menswear in William Street said he was pleasantly surprised with his own store's performance and said he was aware of other success stories around the town.
He said, "It was really buzzing pre-Christmas, and now with the New Year sales kicking in, I have to say we're delighted - really surprised."
One of Portadown's newest stores, Poundland in Magowan West, was similarly euphoric as customers flocked in.
Store manager Sarah Alexander said, "It was mayhem especially on Christmas Eve. You could hardly move in the aisles. We have customers from a wide radius - especially from the south - and one customer actually bought 1,000 items at £1 each and another bought 500 Toblerone!"
