Bargain-hunters converged on Reid Street as the sun rose yesterday to take advantage of Black Friday deals at island retailers.

Shoppers lined up on the pavement outside department stores, where discounts of as much as 70 per cent were offered on items in a tradition marking the start of holiday season shopping.

When the doors of the Phoenix Centre opened at 7am, eager customers, some with copies of newspaper advertisements in their hands, entered and took off in all directions.

Marty Grandors, a store manager, said: “It’s been hectic the last few days trying to get everything ready. But we are ready for it, it’s sort of a kick-off to the holiday season.

“We are going up until 9pm tonight and Santa’s going to be here this evening, so we expect a large turnout.”

Mr Grandors explained that the store and its sister branches offered a number of items at discounted prices including toys, television sets, cosmetics and skin products.

At Brown & Co across the street, shoppers were busy searching the aisles for the best deals.

A clerk at the department store said she expected plenty of customers to visit as the day progressed.

A mother of one said she had managed to buy gifts for her baby boy as well as for her in-laws and other family members at the Phoenix Centre.

She took the day off work to visit shops around Hamilton in search of other Black Friday deals.

Another shopper said he had visited the Phoenix Centre to buy gifts for his children.

He also found a few gifts for his children’s friends and was impressed by the variety as well as the discounted prices offered.

A woman who shopped for toys at Phoenix said she had bought several items for the annual Toys for Tots campaign.

She plans to buy more toys in the days ahead for the annual charitable cause.

At Gibbons Company, customers shopped from 6am for clothes and fragrances, as the store offered discounts from 20 per cent to 70 per cent on selected items.

Sales at the retailers continue throughout the weekend.