Christmas, a Royal Gazette survey shows. Retailers partly blame the tourism slump and Internet shopping. Mairi Mallon reports.

RETAIL sales across the Island in the run-up to Christmas have been poor, but shop owners hope a flood of last-minute shoppers will boost sales.

From Dockyard to St. George's, a slump in tourists, the increase in Internet shopping, and a decline in spending have been blamed for figures being down in December.

And reports have varied from `terrible' to `poor', from `pretty bad' to `what was expected'.

Pre-Christmas sales in Hamilton have been blamed by stores out of town for pushing the prices down and taking trade away from other stores.

Alfred Spearing, vice president and merchandising manager for H. & A.E. Smith, said December so far had been soft.

"It has been soft right up to date, but we do have one extra day of shopping this year. There seems to be a lot of people in the stores, but they are not spending the same. Bermudians usually leave their shopping to the last minute, and we are hopeful there will be a surge starting today.

"Everybody is discounting. We seem to be on the slippery slope of discounts, which at the end of the day, cuts into the margins.'' The store will remain open until 9 p.m. until Saturday, when the store will close at 5 p.m. The shop is not opening Christmas Eve.

Mr. Spearing added: "The staff are just about on their knees.'' Lawrence Trimingham, of Trimingham Bros, said sales could have been better during the month of December, but they were still on course to meet their sales targets.

But he added that it was difficult to look at the first three weeks of December in isolation, and the whole month had to be taken into account.

"It could be better, but as far as it goes, we are actually on our plan. But I think we will have a rush at the end of this week. It has already been pretty steady this week, especially during lunch hours. And as the week goes on we will be getting busier and busier.

"I see people throughout the store and all over buying different things in the department store and the mood seems to be very festive. But as far as a business point of view, I can't say until the month is out.'' Bill Davis, manager of Churchill's in St. George's, said sales had been "terrible''.

He said: "It has been terrible. It's been very, very slow right up until this week. It has been quiet everywhere in St. George's. Hamilton is busy, especially with all those sales on.

"It was a little bit brighter on Tuesday and yesterday, but it is still very slow. I think Bermudians will probably hold off until the last minute, hoping to get something in the sales. Business is down quite a bit. We are suffering but we are putting our best face forward. I do not think sales in Hamilton, with 50 to 75 percent off are helping. But we are trying very hard.'' Manager of Dub City Records and Boutique in North Hamilton, Kent Outerbridge said sales had not been too bad for his stores, including the one in Bailey's Bay, with sales up on last year.

"I haven't had a good month, my stock wasn't up to par as I was running a little late with my order, but things are not too bad. But it is definitely getting busier.'' Mr. Outerbridge said that his store suffered in October and November due to works near his Court Street store, and that now his sales were up on last year.

"Maybe it is because people can park again outside the store, or just glad they can get to the store, but on the whole it has not been great. People are still shopping, but we are heavily affected by competition from the United States.'' Christmas fails to cheer retailers He said people took advantage of cheap flights to go and shop, but believed it was a false economy to buy CDs from abroad.

"At the end of the day it is not cheaper if you go away and buy 200 CDs. By the time you take into consideration the ticket, the hotel and expenses, and taxes on the way back in, it works out about $1 per CD more expensive. They are not tabulating what it costs.'' Reid Street's Trends's manager Tori Powell said that they were busy the first two Friday nights of late-night shopping, but that since then it had been more quiet.

Ms Powell said: "On the whole it has been pretty much the same as last year.'' Dockyard's Glassworks' manager Wendy Avery said they had good demand from locals for delivery service of their new Goslings rum cakes, but that there was little passing trade.

"It has been fairly light. We could have done with another 800 people through our doors,'' she said. "What people are coming are buying when they come.'' Her partner and co-manager Tony Johns said: "Things are pretty bad. Dockyard is very, very slow and very quiet. We have taken out some rather large adverts, but it has been pretty poor this year.'' He said last year had been pretty busy, but said that tourist numbers were down because of fewer hotel beds being available to tourists. "From what I hear, the numbers are down because a lot of hotels have closed for renovation.

And Dockyard as a whole does not have as many adverts. There is plenty that can be done, it is a great area and is fantastic for local events, but the area needs to be utilised.'' And he said the area only had one Christmas party this year, and it was by-passed by official carollers and Santa Parades.

"The lack of business is putting a strain on all of us.'' Photos by Nigel Richardson On the prowl: Shoppers hunt for the right Christmas gift in the ladies' section in Trimingham Bros, Reid Street.

Toy town: Hamilton's Phoenix Store Annex, pictured above and below, has proved a magnet for Christmas shoppers keen to snap up the latest toys.