American Express Shop VIP Day draws crowds to London W1

As retail figures are suffering, the bad weather conditions in

Central London, couldn’t put consumers off the weekends Christmas celebrations on Oxford Street and immediate surrounding W1 areas.

Retailers in London's West End reported taking £20 million in the first three hours of the tenth American Express Shop West End VIP Day – according to New West End Company, which organised the event, the main pull to the big crowd that turned out was the chance of traffic free shopping, whilst TV personalities became surprise till managers in department stores such as John Lewis, House of Fraser.

Richard Dickinson, CEO of New West End Company, said: "West End retailers have pulled out all the stops to create a fantastic environment for shoppers to enjoy. We’ve seen a rise in sales of 6.8% for October, and we are ready for this to continue in the run up to Christmas."

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, added: "VIP Day has become an essential part of London's shopping calendar, and what better place to host it than the world’s best retail district. This weekend showcases the best of shopping London."