AN expanded shopping centre enjoyed a Christmas trading boom.
The Bridges centre, in Sunderland, which opened its £40m extension last year, saw its usual takings double during the festive season.
A third more customers visited the city centre complex during the sales and on December 27, the day the sales started, it attracted 150,000 shoppers. The centre also drew a record number of customers in one week - 640,000 in the run-up to Christmas.
The extension doubled the size of the 12-year-old centre and brought in popular traders such as Gap and Debenhams.
Centre manager Phil Steele said"We have taken twice as much as we would normally."
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