Shop owners in Worcester are unfazed by reports that fewer people are visiting high streets for the Boxing Day sales.

Figures from business intelligence firm Springboard showed that footfall on Boxing Day this year is 3.1% lower than for the same hours on Boxing Day last year.

Tim Evans, owner of Toys and Games of Worcester said: “We do not normally open on Boxing day but this year we had a big Lego launch so we had a lot of people in.

“We were supposed to be open from 11am till 3pm but we were so busy we had to stay open till later.

“We are usually pretty good at managing our stock so it means we are not rushing to sell off this year’s products because we have planned ahead for next year.

“We do not have to worry too much about having lots of left over stock as we buy our January stock in nice and early so we can be ready to go in the new year.

“Footfall in the high street has been lower in general but we managed it well and were ready for it.”

Mike Lloyd, centre manager at Crowngate Shopping Centre, said: “Christmas is always a busy time here at Crowngate and this year has been no different. For us and our retailers the focus is now on the winter sales period and a successful year ahead.”

Elsewhere, a member of staff from David Christopher Jewellers said: "We did not open on Boxing Day this year. We tried it last year and it was no busier than normal."

A member of staff at Knowles Sports said they too had not opened on Boxing Day, adding that it had been quiet on Thursday morning but that business did pick up around midday.

Jennifer Lynch, general manager of Arrange My Escape in Mealcheapen Street said: "It has been very quiet, not just here but elsewhere too.

"I was in Cardiff City Centre yesterday and no one was around."

Springboard said: "Many consumers who visited retail destinations on Boxing Day would have been doing so as part of a wider leisure experience, and the greater variety of restaurants and coffee shops in high streets enables shoppers to make the most of their trips and include lunch or coffee whilst shopping.

"Whilst the larger, newer centres have a good hospitality offer, smaller, older centres do not and so the options for eating out are very limited, which encourages shoppers into high streets.