The border towns and cities of Northern Ireland are celebrating a Christmas shopping boom, while the rest of the UK is battling against the economic downturn.
Cities like Newry in County Down are seeing an influx of bargain hunters from southern Ireland taking advantage of the weak pound and a 6% difference in VAT rates.
One woman who travelled from Dublin to fill trolley after trolley in Newry said: "I'll be back every week now. The only thing I will buy in Dublin is milk and bread."
At today's exchange rate, one euro is worth around 94 pence.
Another young mum with a trolley stacked high with groceries said the savings were massive.
A weekly shop at home costs her 150 euros (£141), whereas in Newry two weeks worth of shopping costs only 210 euros - around £200.
Irish shoppers are prepared to travel for hours and sit in long queues of traffic over the border for the savings.
The recent VAT cut in the UK to 15%, coupled with a VAT increase to 21% in Ireland has helped fuel the blitz of bargain hunters.
But it's not good news for everyone.
Some 10 miles down the road in the republic, the town of Dundalk is paying the price of Newry's success. Traders are watching valuable customers by-pass their shops and travel north instead.
A few weeks before Christmas and the town's streets have a distinct lack of festive cheer.
Bill Tosh, of Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, says: "The (Irish) Government are going to have to listen to the business voice.
"They're going to have to do something, perhaps even short term. We have a different fiscal regime here, but certainly to get this economy on the move here they are going to have to do something to incentivise consumers to come onto the streets, onto OUR streets and to spend."
In the past, Irish towns have benefited when different economic conditions pushed northern shoppers south. So businesses in the south will be hoping for the tide to turn again soon, so that they can at least enjoy a prosperous New Year.
Cities like Newry in County Down are seeing an influx of bargain hunters from southern Ireland taking advantage of the weak pound and a 6% difference in VAT rates.
One woman who travelled from Dublin to fill trolley after trolley in Newry said: "I'll be back every week now. The only thing I will buy in Dublin is milk and bread."
At today's exchange rate, one euro is worth around 94 pence.
Another young mum with a trolley stacked high with groceries said the savings were massive.
A weekly shop at home costs her 150 euros (£141), whereas in Newry two weeks worth of shopping costs only 210 euros - around £200.
Irish shoppers are prepared to travel for hours and sit in long queues of traffic over the border for the savings.
The recent VAT cut in the UK to 15%, coupled with a VAT increase to 21% in Ireland has helped fuel the blitz of bargain hunters.
But it's not good news for everyone.
Some 10 miles down the road in the republic, the town of Dundalk is paying the price of Newry's success. Traders are watching valuable customers by-pass their shops and travel north instead.
A few weeks before Christmas and the town's streets have a distinct lack of festive cheer.
Bill Tosh, of Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, says: "The (Irish) Government are going to have to listen to the business voice.
"They're going to have to do something, perhaps even short term. We have a different fiscal regime here, but certainly to get this economy on the move here they are going to have to do something to incentivise consumers to come onto the streets, onto OUR streets and to spend."
In the past, Irish towns have benefited when different economic conditions pushed northern shoppers south. So businesses in the south will be hoping for the tide to turn again soon, so that they can at least enjoy a prosperous New Year.
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