Millions of shoppers flood Britain's stores searching for a Boxing Day bargain before the VAT rise

Millions of shoppers flood Britain's stores searching for a Boxing Day bargain before the VAT rise kicks in

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...sales-tax.html

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Selfridges' flagship London store predict 80,000 people will flood through its doors in just six hours
More than 25,000 bargain hunters head into the Bullring shopping centre in its first hour
And spending online set to top £300million in a single day
Retailers are hoping for a Boxing Day bonanza today as prices are slashed in a bid to entice shoppers into Britain's stores.
High streets and malls across the country are offering heavy discounts to make up for the dent to sales caused by plummeting pre-Christmas temperatures and heavy snow.
Consumers are also expected to snap up bargains before the VAT increase from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent on January 4.
The fact Boxing Day falls on a Sunday means trading hours are restricted to six hours.

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London Underground drivers begin strike
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/157216.html

London Underground train drivers have started their strike following the failure of their bosses to prevent the industrial action through legal channels.


Members of the ASLEF, the train drivers' union, voted to walk out on Sunday after London Underground (LU) officials refused a three-fold pay rise and a day off for working on December 26, which is a national holiday.

"LU sought an injunction to prevent the disruptive and completely unnecessary strike action called by the leadership of the ASLEF union,” said the company's managing director Mike Brown.

The strike, which comes amid unprecedented harsh weather across Britain, will worsen the situation for shoppers on the traditional Boxing Day.

Brown also said the move is against a “long-standing agreement” with tube staff that requires them to work on some public holidays including Boxing Day in return for increased payments and a 6.8 weeks annual leave.

"We will be running as many Tube services as possible on Boxing Day, as well as London's 700 bus routes and some river services,” he added.

This is while ASLEF said the LU chiefs are treating Boxing Day as an “ordinary working day” which is not fair.

"The union argues that this is nonsense and insisted on generous premium rates for working on the day following Christmas Day," ASLEF said.

London Underground's plea to the court to prevent its workers from going on strike was rejected by the High Court in London after a four-hour hearing on Thursday.