Meadowhall announce start of new sale and where to get a last-minute Christmas bargain

Plenty of shops in the centre have slashed prices ahead of the traditional Boxing Day sales.

Meadowhall will be open 9am-11pm today and Friday, 9am - 8pm on Saturday, 11am - 5pm on Sunday, 9am - 11pm on Monday, then 9am - 5pm on Christmas Eve, so there is plenty of time to grab a bargain (or even treat yourself after all that shopping, decorating and wrapping).

Clothing retailer Ted Baker is offering up to 50 per cent off its entire collection, and Reiss is running an ‘up to half price’ deal on clothing from elegant dresses to smart coats.

Smiggle – the toys, stationery and gadgets chain – has an ‘up to 50 per cent off’ deal running, and Virgin Holidays will have a tonic for those facing the inevitable January blues in the form of £200 off any getaway.

Streetwear shop Diesel will have up to 30 per cent off its autumn and winter items, and there will be up to 40 per cent off clothes at All Saints, with reductions on dresses, jumpers and suits.

If you’ve got a Christmas do or New Year’s Eve party lined up, River Island, Miss Selfridge, New Look, Hugo Boss and Whistles are also running deals, so you can save from 40 to 60 per cent off.

British fashion and lifestyle brand White Stuff is also offering 30 per cent off partywear.

Consultancy Deloitte said this week that the scale of such discounts could be the biggest in nearly a decade, and that it expected average reductions to reach 50 per cent by December 24.

At the same time, data provider Springboard said there were fewer shoppers around than during the same period last year.

“Consumers clearly took advantage of early discounts to purchase presents, and are now waiting for discounts to deepen once again in the days immediately before Christmas as retailers do their best to shift unsold stock," said Springboard’s insights director Diane Wehrle.