The Galleries shopping centre attracted a staggering 11m shoppers during the last 12 months, with 300,000 visitors in the last week before the holiday alone.

Retailers across Wigan reported a booming trade as bargain hunters ignored the economic downturn.

Richard Paxton, the Galleries' centre director, said: "Although 2008 has been a turbulent year for the economy, the Galleries has attracted large volumes of shoppers."

Massive discounts at stores across Wigan had shoppers flocking to the town centre.

At the Grand Arcade, the Boxing Day sales attracted 6,000 more shoppers than on the same day last year and people queued from the early hours for the Debenhams sale.

Howard King, the Grand Arcade's deputy centre manager, said: "The trading has increased since last year and the reported sales in the centre are really, really good.

"We had a fantastic day on Boxing Day with retailers offering up to 70% off.

"All retailers in the Grand Arcade have some great offers of up to 50-75% off some items and there are great bargains to be had.

"I think the retailers were saving something extra back for the new year and the people of Wigan have been anticipating these further discounts.

"I'd just urge people not to give up on the sales yet – there's still two weeks left and there's going to be lots more offers to come."

Shoppers who were tempted on to the high street by unprecedented price cuts have been told that 2009 will be a year of heavy discounting.

Although the massive crowds who queued for post-Christmas sales have made the high street look healthy, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said the majority of shoppers are spending cautiously.

Rising unemployment, falling house prices and economic gloom were said to have curtailed festive spending which is expected to be lower than Christmas 2007 when figures are released next month.

Another national chain, childrenswear retailer Adams, looks likely to become the latest victim of the retail squeeze after Price Waterhouse Coopers confirmed it had be approached to act as administrator.
Woolworths has already gone into administration.

Store closures started on Saturday with hundreds more this week, including the one in Leigh yesterday.