Christmas rail strikes an ‘enormous blow’ to West End retailers

// Rail strikes for Christmas Eve could cause disruption to the West End during retail’s busiest trading period

// Workers at RMT will walk out from 6pm on 24 December until 27 December

Fresh rail strikes are set to wreak havoc on West End retailers in the run up to Christmas.

The RMT has scheduled strikes on Christmas Eve at 6pm, which may hinder shoppers travelling into city centres on what is expected to be a bumper shopping day, until 27 December, taking in the key Boxing Day Sales dates.

The new dates come on top of the strikes next week, including 13 to 14 December and 16 to 17 December.

Dee Corsi, the CEO of The New West End Company, which represents over 600 retailers, warned that the strikes are “an enormous blow to the West End and the Londoners that work across it”.

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She told Retail Gazette: “To cause such disruption during the single busiest trading period for the high street will be a crushing disappointment not only to the business owners looking to continue their recovery, but also those working in retail and hospitality who will now struggle to get to work.”

Meanwhile, BRC’s insight director Kris Hamer warned that the strikes will limit both shopper and commuter traffic at a time when footfall is still recovering from the pandemic.

Springboard recently found that footfall across UK retail destinations in November was boosted by Black Friday as consumers returned to stores.

However, despite the increase, figures remain well below pre-pandemic levels.

Hamer told Retail Gazette that the strikes will undoubtedly make things even harder for some businesses.

“For many retailers, the weeks running up to and around Christmas are the most important sales period of the year,” he said.

“Strikes can make it difficult for customers making trips to major cities to buy gifts and make arrangements for the festive season.”

Rail workers are set to strike after rejecting a renewed pay offer from train operators.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) had offered the RMT union a pay rise of 8% over two years with a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies to April 2024.