Tills jingle as Xmas rush gathers pace

THE sound of Christmas music and the ringing of the tills are filling stores across the Darling Downs as residents dip into their pockets this festive season.

GIFTS GALORE: ( From left ) Myer gifticians Leonie Slingsby and Bek Hunter wish to help customers with christmas shopping. Tuesday, Dec 2, 2014 . Photo Nev Madsen / The Chronicle. Picture: Nev Madsen

THE sound of Christmas music and the ringing of the tills are filling stores across the Darling Downs as residents dip into their pockets this festive season.

Visitor numbers at local shopping centres are increasing and local retailers are confident of a profitable Christmas period.

Hanna's Department Store manager Paul Hanna said business was getting stronger.

"We are starting to see the start of the Christmas rush. I expect once school holidays begin in the coming week it will get even busier," he said.

"It is hard to predict our Christmas sales this early on, but we are quietly confident it will be a good season."

Australians are expected to spend more than $40 billion this Christmas with shoppers in Toowoomba also expected to buy big on the back of a strong local economy.

"Our local economy is pumping with major investments such as the QIC development of Grand Central bringing big money into the region," Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Andrew Wielandt said.

"It is important to recognise the national economy is still a bit fragile, but locally the feeling is people will be spending.

"It's a competitive market and I think retailers have worked to make sure locals are spending in the local community."

As the days to Christmas count down, staff at Myer Toowoomba are hoping their Giftorium will be able to help those desperate for the perfect present.

"This year we have set up a one stop gift shop and have our gifticians ready to help in selecting gifts for friends, family and loved ones. It's a fun way of doing Christmas shopping and hopefully it adds to the festive shopping experience," Myer Toowoomba store manager Donna Green said.

Christmas trading hours

• Grand Central: Extended opening hours from Dec 19. Open until midnight on December 23.
• Toowoomba Plaza: Open until 9pm in December. Open until Midnight on December 23.
• Clifford Gardens: Extended trading hours throughout December. Open until Midnight on December 23.
• For more information, contact the retailers directly.

Originally published as Tills jingle as Xmas rush gathers pace