Sir Stuart Rose of Marks & Spencer is hoping for good business over Christmas but expects people not to splash out on ‘frivolities’ when the country is sliding into recession.

His comments came at the grand occasion of opening of the Westfield shopping centre, the biggest shopping mall in Europe at White City, west London, where thousands of shoppers thronged, though many had just come to browse.

265 shops in the shopping centre include big names like Next, M&S, Waitrose, House of Fraser and Debenhams.

Models Twiggy and Erin O’Connor flanked Sir Stuart Rose as he inaugurated new M&S store at Westfield. The executive chairman, looking ahead to seasonal business on Christmas, remarked that it would be tough but OK for M&S. He claimed people were buying usable quality stuff and were least interested in frivolities. He was hopeful of a decent Christmas for M&S.

Sir Philip Green, who opened a Topshop at Westfield, also ruled out suggestion that coming Christmas was expected to be bleak for retailers. He remarked he was not part of the “doom mongering camp”. According to him trading was good during the week on account of cold weather and school half-term.

Rose, in an ebullient mood, strode through 103,000sq.ft. store and remarked people would need one next year after picking up Percy Pig piggy banks at the store.

M&S announced launch of womenswear range Portfolio in February which would be cheaper than Autograph range. It is going to fill up the gap in 45-plus market.

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