NY sales sparkle for high streets in Bengaluru, dull days for old bazaar | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: Christmas and New Year brought sharply contrasting fortunes to Bengaluru’s key shopping hubs. While Brigade Road and Commercial Street were buoyed by festive décor, swelling crowds and a steady increase in sales by 20%.For these festivals, these streets are fully decorated with bells, festive lights, and engaging activities to celebrate Christmas and usher in the New Year, attracting families and visitors who flock to the street during this period.
Suhail Yusuf, secretary, Brigade Road Shops and Establishments Association, said: “Business and sales picked up steadily every year since Covid, with an overall improvement of around 20–30% compared to last year. New brands are also coming in, and the brand mix has improved. This time, traffic and parking restrictions were imposed even for Christmas because of the swelling crowds. People were very excited, and while there could be several reasons for the rush, the festive atmosphere clearly drew large numbers.“Mayank Rohatgi, secretary, Commercial Street Association, said: “This holiday season delivered fantastic business this year, with footfall clearly higher than last year. Even post noon, the street remains jam-packed as shoppers make last-minute purchases. Demand was strong for apparel, party wear and gifting, with many NRIs among the buyers. Overall, shopping sentiment is upbeat, with business up by around 20% this season.“However, that is not the case for everyone. Other traditional markets such as Chickpet and Ibrahim Sahib Street paint a far grimmer picture, grappling with falling footfalls, rising online competition and civic challenges that traders say dented business by as much as 50–60%.Sajjan Raj Mehta, former president, Karnataka Hosiery and Garment Association, and a trader from Chickpet, said: “Christmas sales were average this year, with online purchases far outpacing physical stores. Market sentiment is steady but not as strong as earlier, and sales varied across areas as many people are travelling during the year-end holiday period. Tourist-heavy hubs like Church Street, Brigade Road and Commercial Street saw better business, while places such as Chickpet recorded lower sales.“Paras Mal Mali, treasurer of Ibrahim Saheb Traders Association and owner of Discount Sale Centre, said: “Business was extremely poor this year, with Christmas sales down by over 50–60% compared to last year. While there was some festive activity, it was nowhere close to levels seen 5 or 10 years ago. Unchecked footpath vending took over the street, making parking and pedestrian access difficult and discouraging outside customers. Rising online sales further hit footfall, with daily turnover now at just Rs 20,000–30,000 compared to over Rs 1 lakh earlier. “
