Sales luring shoppers back

SHOPPERS are being lured back to Bahrain's malls to take advantage of the many winter sales and promotional offers being extended to woo customers.

During the height of recent demonstrations - and with tanks on the streets - Bahrain City Centre, Seef Mall and A'ali Shopping Complex were forced to shut up shop. Not only were shoppers too scared to venture out, many workers were so worried that they stayed at home.

But this week as calm has been restored, businesses are hoping that normal service will resume shortly.

Consumers have tentatively ventured back. Rasha Jaleel, 31, a housewife from Manama, said: "I usually visit the mall in the mornings and things seem to be getting back to normal. During last week, most people were very hesitant to come out and shop."

Friends Margaret Stones and Margaret Strachan visited Bahrain City Centre after a week of staying away. Mrs Stone, a housewife from Saar, said: "There were so many rumours that protests were being held at different places. Many of us decided to stay away only to find out later that the rumours were unfounded. The rumours have been giving the country a bad name."

Mum Jane Adel, from Hamad Town, noticed many absentees from the mall's popular City Walkers exercise sessions that she regularly participates in. Mrs Adel, 39, a housewife, said: "Before the problems began people enjoyed staying around the malls rather than at home ... but now it is the other way around.

"Today shop assistants mentioned how low sales have been as a result of the unrest. But it's not just the malls; even the schools have been shut. My children wouldn't go for the whole of last week as they were terrified to leave home. They would say: 'I don't want to die!' I had to urge their teachers to encourage them to go back to their classes.

"Things, however, are slowly getting back to a normal routine but it will probably take a while to completely recover after everything that has happened."

Geraldine Cordova, a shop worker at Bahrain City Centre, said: "Usually Sundays are quite slow here but recently every day appears to be like a Sunday.

"Business has been very slow so our sale has been extended. Many colleagues have also been absent as they were scared of travelling to the area. Last week was very bad but business is now coming back."