Sales talk

PRICES are heading in only one direction as we hurtle ever closer to Christmas Day - and that is down. If you did all your Christmas shopping weeks ago and already have it wrapped and sitting under your tree, the news that many shops are slashing prices faster than a Santa sleigh through a winter wonderland may have you weeping into your wallet. It's not even sale time proper - but there are bargains galore out there for the last-minute Christmas shopper.

Here are some of the great buys I found during a lunch-time sprint around York city centre:

- If fashion's your passion, Hobbs in Davygate has many items now half price. For a festive look, check out the red skirt and jacket suit, was £229.98 now £169.98. For a touch of luxury, The Cashmere Store in Shambles has pashmina stoles for £59 rather than £99. The Edinburgh Woollen Mill has a 'buy one get one free' offer on ladies' knitwear. La Senza in Coney Street has deals on undies and sleepwear including cosy fleece pyjamas at £20 down from £30.

- For the men in your life, get to Gap in Davygate, where cotton chunky-knit polo necks are down from £34.99 to £12.99 and boys' lumberjack shirts are now £12.99 from £19.50. At Jaeger in Fenwick, Coppergate, men's brushed-cotton shirts are reduced from £70 to £50 and a brown suede leather jacket is £250 from £425.

- For book worms, there is a three for two offer on Harry Potter at Davygate book store Borders, while The Works in Church Street has the first part of The Lord Of The Rings at £4.99 rather than £6.99. Borders also has a fiver off the Bridget Jones box set of video, book and CD soundtrack, now £24.99. Woolworth's has 'five videos for £20' on selected releases.

- Selected leather bags by Jane Shilton are now half price at Browns, Davygate. Scarves and bags are half price at East in Davygate.

- There is a toy sale on at Mothercare in Coney Street, while the Early Learning Centre in Market Street has 20 per cent off selected toys. For goodies, Woolworth is selling two 400g Toblerone (£2.95 each) for £3.99.

- There is ten per cent off digital cameras, camcorders and personal hi-fis priced at more than £49.99 at Dixons in Coney Street, while 4U Phones, also in Coney Street, has a half-price offer on selected hand sets.

- For perfumes and after-shaves take advantage of all-year-round bargain prices at Savers in Goodramgate.

But if you have missed out on late-Christmas deals, there's still plenty of time to cash in on cut-price offers in the sales - and the good news is you don't even have to wait until the new year to blow whatever is left in your bank account on a bargain (or five), as most sales start next week.

To help you get the most out of your money, here's our guide to some of the leading sales coming your way ...

Boxing Day

Allders

Clifton Moor, York

Doors open 10am-5pm

Best buys: Half-price sofas and vacuum cleaners. GE American stainless-steel fridge was £2,699 now £1,999 and Miele washing machine £595.99 now £549.99.

BhS

Monks Cross

Doors open 9am-5pm

Best buys: Big discounts on bedding and lighting.

Currys

Clifton Moor

Doors open: 9am-6pm

Best Buys: Take your pick as prices are slashed on many electrical and household goods.

HMV

Coney Street

Doors open 10am-4pm

Best buys: Clear-out with cut-price CDs, DVDs, videos and games.

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet

Doors open 10am-6pm

Best buys: The all-year-round bargains are biggervalue during the annual clearance sale with discounts up to 70 per cent.

Multiyork

Piccadilly, York

Doors open 10am

Best buys: Sorrento range of coffee and end tables at £449 and £299 respectively and Spencer large sofa reduced from £3,155 to £1,899. For a before-sale browse log on to www.multiyork.co.uk

Thursday December 27

Allders

Piccadilly, York

Doors open 9am-8pm

Best buys: Selected upholstery, lighting and mirrors at half price.

Bhs

Coney Street

Doors open 8.30am

Best buys: Half-price children's wear and big reductions on women's wear, knitwear and men's formal and casual wear. Bargains in bedding and lighting departments.

Browns

St Sampson's Square, York

Doors open 9am

Best buys: Myers Windsor Back Care Bed, any size, £199; Geneva three-seater leather sofa was £1,198 now £599; selected curtains half-price and up to 40 per cent off ladies fashions.

Debenhams

Davygate, York

Doors open 8.30am

Best buys: 50 per cent off selected Designers at Debenhams collection and Casual Club range. One third off selected bath and body ranges and beauty boxes.

Fenwick

Coppergate, York

Doors open 9am-6pm

Best buys: Half-price Italian handbags, towels, bedding, white china, evening wear separates and Tony & Tina make-up.

Habitat

High Ousegate, York

Doors open 9am

Best buys: Look out for slashed prices on the most stylish of goods for your home.

Marks & Spencer

Piccadilly and Parliament Street

Doors open 8am-8pm

Best buys: Ladies suits and coats, Per Una and Autograph collections, men's casual wear all reduced.

Next

Coney Street, Stonegate, Monks Cross

Doors open 6am

Best buys: Early birds will be rewarded with the best buys as prices come down across all departments in one of the most popular high street sales.

Tie Rack

Coney Street, York

Doors open 9am

Best buys: Some prices slashed by as much as three quarters: silk ties were £14 now £5.99 or two for £9.99; wool pashminas were £20 now £15 and 20 per cent off evening scarves.

Thursday January 3

Mulberry Hall

Stonegate, York

Doors open 9am

Best buys: 40 per cent off Wedgewood Weekday-Weekend range and big reductions on Lladro and Waterford Crystal.

Thursday January 10

Barnitts

Colliergate, York

Doors open 8.30am

Best buys: Rest of shop joins the furniture sale, which began before Christmas and runs until late February.

Updated: 16:18 Friday, December 21, 2001