SHOPPERS flocked to the city centre at the weekend to get in their last minute Christmas shopping as the big day rapidly approaches.
Despite Omicron concerns leading to some choosing to staying at home, shoppers were still out in force over the weekend particularly on 'Super Saturday'.
High Street was among those busy, with queues at the tills of many shops.
There were also queues outside to get in some shops, including at Toys and Games in Broad Street and Lush in High Street.
Elsewhere nationally there were reports the fears over the Covid variant had heavily dented the last-minute shopping boom traders had hoped for.
British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said "The rise of the Omicron variant, combined with the government’s work-from-home advice, has resulted in fewer people visiting shops and high streets
"Retailers are pulling out the stops to keep staff and customers as safe as possible during these difficult times.”
Business leaders have called for government support.
Mike Cherry, national chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “With the number of Covid cases soaring, many small businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, are coming under a huge amount of strain as consumer demand drops and the number of people self-isolating rises."
Hannah Essex, co-executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce, added: "Doing nothing is not an option right now - or we will see businesses fail."
Take a look at the latest cases of Omicron across the UK on our interactive map below...
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