Liverpool 1 says it will buck all national trends this Christmas

LIVERPOOL 1 is predicting its busiest ever Christmas as sales head for an all time high, according to new figures. And, retail bosses say they will buck all national trends on Merseyside.

Already this year, sales are up by almost 6%, compared to a national average of just 3% based on data from BRC.

The upward trend is predicted to continue throughout this month as visitors flock to Liverpool ONE.

Retail bosses attribute the major growth to the continued commitment from big name brands choosing to invest in the city and keeping leisure and entertainment offerings fresh.

Leisure and entertainment; such as:- crazy golf, escape rooms and gaming venues; have come out on top at Liverpool ONE, with this sector seeing a massive 56% rise in turnover this year helped by Liverpool ONE's latest addition Gravity MAX taking up residence in the former Debenhams unit.

Beauty sales have increased by 21%, supported by the arrival of Space NK and Charlotte Tilbury to an already strong offering. Meanwhile menswear has seen a 30% increase in sales supported by the upsize of brands such as:- BOSS, strong performance from local brands including Vincentius, and successful pop ups from ARNE.

A total of 28 new brands have chosen to invest at Liverpool 1 throughout this year, including:- athleisure favourites Sweaty Betty and Under Armour, along with retail giant Marks and Spencer, plus Swarovski and Space NK.

Pop-up stores have been more popular than ever before, with North West based fashion labels Noughts and Kisses and Caramella taking up space, while global giant Tesla also launched a long term pop up at Liverpool 1 this year.

Donna Howitt, Place Strategy Director at Liverpool ONE, said:- "We have had an incredibly successful year which has put us in good stead as we enter the festive period. We've welcomed more pop up stores than we have ever done, meaning visitors have had exciting, fresh brands to enjoy on a regular basis. These pop ups have been a mixture of online clothing companies which have chosen Liverpool 1 to showcase their offering in person, plus globally recognised names, giving shoppers a real variety of choice. As a nation, it has of course been a challenging year as thecost of living crisis forced us all to tighten purse strings. However, it's encouraging to see that here at Liverpool ONE, and across the Region, we are bucking the trends and outperforming other Cuty Centres across the UK. We have seen a shift in how our visitors are spending and what they are choosing to spend their money on. Bringing experiences like Gravity MAX to Liverpool 1 and stepping up our offering in terms of leisure and entertainment has meant that people have even more of a reason to come here, in that they can create a tailored experience for themselves which might include grabbing a bite to eat and indulging in some retail therapy at the same time. And sales forecasts continue to show further growth for Liverpool 1 as the festive season approaches its peak."

Donna added:- "We have extremely loyal visitors at Liverpool 1 and we are seeing growing numbers of people visiting from further afield. For many of our brands at Liverpool ONE, Christmas is the busiest and most important trading period, so we're proud to go above and beyond to bring in visitors and ensure they have the best possible experience while here."

For more information about Liverpool ONE, visit:- Liverpool-One.Com.

North West Ambulance Service sends out a reminder about repeat prescriptions

AS Christmas approaches, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is calling on the public in Cheshire and Merseyside to plan ahead and ensure they have an ample supply of necessary medications by ordering their repeat prescriptions before the festive break begins.

Winter traditionally brings additional demand for health services. Specifically, we see a spike in people who contact NHS 111 over the bank holidays, and many of those calls are from people who have run out of medication.

Statistics from last winter (December 2022 to February 2023) reveal that in Cheshire and Merseyside, NWAS received nearly 7,000 calls to the NHS 111 service for repeat prescriptions, making it the second-highest reason for calling during that period.

Paul Johnston, Senior Service Delivery Manager for NHS 111 service at NWAS, emphasises the importance of planning ahead for medication needs, stating:- "Winter is always a busy time for our NHS 111 service, especially during the festive period between Christmas and New Year. This generally leads to longer wait times for people who have called the service. Running out of medication can have serious consequences, and we want to remind the public to order their repeat prescriptions in advance to avoid unnecessary stress and potential health risks."

To streamline the process, NWAS encourages the use of the NHS app for convenient online prescription orders. Planning ahead can alleviate the strain on healthcare services and ensure that individuals have the medications they need, even during the busy winter months.

Repeat prescriptions are also available to order via the patient's GP surgery or on the NHS website. If a patient does run out of medication, NHS 111 can request a limited emergency supply, but it's always best to plan ahead.

Paul adds:- "We would always recommend using the NHS 111 online service over phoning. You answer the same questions, and it will tell you what to do next. It's available on the NHS app and website at 111.nhs.uk. Depending on what you need, you might be advised to call 999, book a call back from a nurse or be directed to the appropriate medical support."

NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Patients should call NHS 111 if they need help for a child under 5.