The British Comedy Awards: Who Will Be The King – Or Queen- of Comedy.

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The British Comedy Awards sponsored by Foster’s return to Channel 4 live from 9pm on December 16 with Jonathan Ross back at the helm and ready for mischief.

Nominations will be revealed in full during a one hour Channel 4 nominations show on December 11 at 10pm, a few days before the main event is broadcast live on Channel 4 from Fountain Studios in Wembley.

Today however, we can exclusively reveal the six nominees for the prestigious People’s Choice Award for the King or Queen of Comedy – the only category where the viewers choose the winner.

Reigning Queen of Comedy Miranda Hart will be defending her crown against star of Peep Show and 10 O’clock Live presenter David Mitchell, chat show supremo and guru of all things Eurovision, Graham Norton, Fresh Meat star, Jack Whitehall, BAFTA-winning comedian, actress and author Jo Brand and stand-up sensation and panel show favourite Sarah Millican.

People can vote for their favourite by calling 0901 616 4444 and selecting the following numbers to cast their vote.*

For DAVID MITCHELL press 1

For GRAHAM NORTON press 2

For JACK WHITEHALL press 3

For JO BRAND press 4

For MIRANDA HART press 5

For SARAH MILLICAN press 6

Lines open Monday 28 November and voting closes during the awards ceremony, shortly before the winner is revealed and we find out who is officially the funniest person in Britain.

Host Jonathan Ross said: “I’ve tried, but I can’t think of a more entertaining way to spend a winters evening then watching a room full of our best and brightest comedians get slowly drunk while they wait to see which of their rivals picks up an award. Surely that’s what Christmas is all about?

“To be hosting it again, for what feels like the 87th time, is also an honour and privilege and I will do my best, like the Batman facing a room full of Jokers, to keep things running smoothly”.

There are 17 categories in this year’s British Comedy Awards, including Best New British TV Comedy, Best Sitcom, Best Comedy Actor and Actress, Lifetime Achievement Award and Outstanding Contribution to British Comedy.

Previous winners include Russell Brand, Ricky Gervais, Alan Carr, Stephen Fry, Matt Lucas David Walliams. Sascha Baron Cohen and Peter Kay.

The event also attracts a star studded audience with recent guests including Goldie Hawn, Alec Baldwin, Madonna, Samuel L Jackson, Eva Mendes, Jack Black, Juliette Lewis, Matt Groening and JK Rowling.

For the latest news on this year’s event, go to www.channel4.com/britishcomedyawards.

Twitter: #ComedyAwards

TX Details

British Comedy Awards Nominations Show – Sunday 11 December at 10pm on Channel 4

British Comedy Awards – Friday 16 December live from 9pm on Channel 4

British Comedy Awards: Live Lock-In – Friday 16 December from 11pm on E4

Voting

*Calls cost 36p from a BT landline. Calls from other networks may be higher and from mobiles will cost considerably more. Touchtone phones only. Maximum 6 votes per caller. Details and Terms at channel4.com/comedyawards. Voting closes during the Comedy Awards on 16th December 2011

Vivienne Westwood & Cool Earth- It's No Fun Being Extinct

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World Bank sits on 90% of Unspent Funds for Forest Projects

Vivienne Westwood & Frank Field MP Launch Campaign to Expose Failings

Dame Vivienne Westwood is investing 1 million of her own funds to launch a 7 million pound fundraising campaign supporting the rainforest charity Cool Earth. The action is to highlight World Bank’s expenditure failings as a staggering 90% of funds pledged to halt deforestation remains unspent. (See bottom of press release for details). The designer and environmental campaigner, coupled with Frank Field MP (founder of Cool Earth) aim to demonstrate how rapidly money can be deployed into rainforest programmes.

The campaign called “No Fun Being Extinct”, (nofunbeingextinct.org) supported by fashion’s biggest names, such as Kate Moss, Lily Cole and Sadie Frost will run for 18 months during which time Westwood will aim to help Cool Earth secure three of the world’s most endangered forest.

Former Minister, Frank Field founded the rainforest charity Cool Earth in 2007 as a vehicle to allow ordinary people to leapfrog governments and take immediate action in the fight against climate change by protecting rainforests. The conservation method is a ground up approach, which works with indigenous communities to make rainforest trees of greater economic value left standing than cut down.

Despite a growing number of research papers highlighting community led management as the most effective way to keep rainforest standing over traditional reserves, many communities are not receiving pledged funds.1, 2

The Climate Investment Fund dedicated 600 million dollars (£390 million) to the Forest Investment Programme (FIP) to “tackle drivers of deforestation” with UK tax payers providing the most generous contribution – almost four years on, only 15 million dollars (£10 million) has been spent, all of which has gone on administration and advisors.3 Vivienne Westwood will demonstrate how taxpayers money should be spent when it comes to saving rainforest for the benefit of the nations future.

Frank Field founded Cool Earth as a result of his utter despair at governments’ failure to solve the problem of deforestation, “The lack of action in spite of such generous funding is a real disgrace. It shows that political will is just as important as money.”

Fashion designer and environmental campaigner, Vivienne Westwood, has been working closely with Cool Earth over the last 3 years, “Cool Earth has a plan to save the rainforest. If we don’t save the rainforest forget it! I am personally supporting Cool Earth and investing in our future. I’m inviting anyone interested in saving our beautiful world to join me.”

Frank and Vivienne are calling on the government to invest in community-led forestry management, which has been proven to be the most effective way to halt deforestation. Vivienne is presenting a report to No. 10 to showing how her funds have been spent to show that an effective mechanism to halt deforestation does exist.

Cool Earth has protected over 2.5 million acres of vulnerable rainforest since its launch in 2007, which has cost just £1.75 million with less than 10% spent on administration. This is because the charity has worked from the ground-up with local communities who have a clear interest in keeping the forest standing. This works out as costing just a half of a percent of the FIP’s budget.

Vivienne will also be calling on the public to help protect trees at Cool Earth’s new website launched on a November 28th called ‘No Fun Being Extinct’. Individuals can save as little as 3 trees for £3 on the website at www.nofunbeingextinct.org. Every tree makes a difference.

Top Ten Christmas Computer Games

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HO-Ho-HO

Christmas is once again upon us and you know what that means: games; but not just any game, only the finest games will do. Only the finest games will still make it past the Boxing day and New Year trade ins. Only the finest games will be the ones that your special lad (or lass) will be talking about, showering you with praise and calling you erm, ‘Love muffin’ all night long.

So when you think about it, you need a Father Christmas like me. I am the fairy tale you can believe in. Follow my top ten and rest assured that although they will be some turkeys out there it all will end happily ever after, ignore it and trust me there will be a lot of booing and hissing and cries of ‘she’s behind you’…

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3

People have got all emotional over which is FPS (First Person Shooter) is better – Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3. To quote my special friend out there ‘Hell, why not have both?’. You know what – he is right. Modern Warfare 3 picks up in the explosive aftermath of Modern Warfare 2. With that naughty boy Makarov still at large, you must overcome tougher than tough odds as World War 3 erupts.  In Battlefield 3 you will experience intense fire fights thanks to the all new Frostbite 2.0 Engine. Buildings crumble as you use a variety of vehicles from planes to tanks that seem to do one thing – make the enemy explode. Both titles have great multi-player modes – although my personal favourite is Modern Warfare 3 both titles clock in at around 6 – 8 hours play. Which means you can easily fit them in – both before, and after your turkey coma.

FIFA 12

Having Christmas without football is like having corn flakes without the milk. Running on the all new Player Impact Engine, which incidentally sounds like a piece of PIE to me – FIFA 12 gets you ‘on the pitch’ closer than close to the football action. Of course there are Volleys, dribbles and passing, but thanks to the new Engine even the slightest knock by an opponent can send you tumbling to the ground if you’re off-balance.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Packing around a whopping 90 hours play – Elder Scrolls 5 is the reason why many gamers have just woke up from a gaming coma. Highly acclaimed, highly detailed. This game reinvents the whole the whole idea of what RPG’s should and could be capable of. Skyrim offers action, adventure, huge dragons, and lots of beheadings. There are over 150 dungeons to explore and loads of realms. In your adventure you will travel the countryside, become a blacksmith creating and forging your weapons, talk to people, shoot bows and arrows, and unleash different magic spells. The part that I loved the most was being able to play the entire game in the first person perspective.

Yes, there are faults with this title but not one games player I know would say they are big enough reasons not to get this game.

Batman: Arkham City

Say what you want about superhero games but keep the Dark Knight of Gotham out of it. Rebuilding a franchise in much the same way as Mr Nolan has rebuilt the film series, Batman: Arkham City is just sheer incredibility on a disc. The game mechanics put you firmly into the man of the Cape-and-Cowl and will have you gliding unseen into Arkham City; the new residence of Gotham’s criminally insane. With improved mechanics, free flow combat, and gadgets that would even make James Bond go green with envy the only let down is when the game keeps returning to the ‘Gargoyle’ routine seen in the previous game for taking down a room full of enemies. Other than that it has Cat-woman, Robin, and more than a few other surprises to keep you on the return factor.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Nathan Drake is back and once again in hot water. You join him as he sets out in search of the “Atlantis of the Sands”.  Head to head against a shadowy group also in search of the lost city, Drake must confront some of his greatest fears as he starts unearthing truths about the lost City. One thing is apparent from the offset, and that is the game looks stunning. Naughty Dog has clearly eked out every last drop of processing power from the PS3 and harnessed it to unparalleled effect. There are some scenes that will make your jaw drop and even the multiplayer stages have multi-levels which is a first. This is one fantastic game to play – but in my opinion way too short on a single player. It is however still a masterpiece and should ride high on any shopping list.

Need for Speed: The Run

EA are certainly going all out to redefine their Need for Speed Franchise. The Run sees you step into Jack Rourke shoes, a character trapped inside a red Porsche Carrera about to be put on a serious diet inside a car compactor. The young man owes the Mob money and they want him dead. Thanks to a Heavy Rain-button press sequence, you are able to escape the crushing and flee. Later you are tempted by a friend into a race across America in the hope of winning a $25 million top prize and getting the Mafia off your back. What is great about The Run is the diversity of environments, taking you to the bright lights of the cities through to the sprawling open highways. The game is really well presented, with great attention to detail in the environments, the cop chases are also heart stopping. However racing is just racing at the end of the day and wont suit everyone.

Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Proving that there is truth in the saying that everything comes to those who wait. Skyward Sword is the game that Wii owners have been waiting for. Re-energising the entire Legend of Zelda franchise but also legitimising motion controls is no mean feat, but one that is accomplished easily here. Trading sliding block puzzles and fetch quests for full action and motion plus puzzles makes this game infinitely more playable and fun. Equally the graphics are beautifully shaded and easy on the eye. The game that the Wii has been waiting for.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations

If most gamers are completely honest – Assassins Creed Brotherhood should never have been there – thankfully Revelations brings us right back on track with a quality game that brings a satisfactory conclusion to the Assassins Creed 2 Trilogy. You are Master assassin – Ezio Auditore, returning to walk the path of discovery and revelation as he journeys to Constantinople. But in the heart of the Ottoman Empire is a Templar Army that threatens to dislodge everything.  Aside from a few glitches, this Assassin’s Creed is near as good as it can get – for now.Constantinopleis possibly the best city so far and the few CGI moments are nothing short of stunning. There is a solid 20+ hour single player offering plus an augmented multiplayer mode that could last you for days.

Just Dance 3

Christmas isn’t just about playing games on your own – no way, this Christmas get the whole family together with a ‘dance off’ that pairs granny with uncle and if you really want to have fun breaking down barriers why not get the ‘in-laws’ together. Yes this is Just Dance, featuring over 40 tracks from a wide range of music genres and for the first time properly featuring vocals with lyrics displayed on the screen. As a game it is something you can’t really go wrong with – and don’t even pretend you weren’t thinking about getting it, I the look on your face when it came up in the advert break in TOWIE. Just  make sure you have the Mics and the Move controllers already in the house before you go out and buy.

Saints Row: The Third

Whereas Grand Theft Auto always took itself too seriously – Saints Row: The Third always stood back; tongue firmly in cheek. If you’re not too worried about the realism of a game and more about the fun factor – this is for you.  What other game has a special mode called “Whored Mode”, where you can be chased around by prostitutes in leather “geek suits” wielding long purple dildos?  Yes, it’s that kind of over the top fun that has been a staple of this entire series. Some would say that it is a true sand-box game in that you can do anything you wish, in many ways the most amount of fun that you can have in this game is when you do just that. Wreak havoc.

So there is my list – of course there are games that just missed the top ten; Goldeneye Reloaded, Mario and Sonic at the 2012 Olympic Games, Sonic Generations and of course Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom, ooh and Rayman – games that are all good in their own right.

I know what you are thinking – games aren’t cheap and its true – however take heart – prices are always changing as everyone feels the pinch and companies try to get one up on their competitors so my advice is get out there and check on-line (from reputable dealers) to see if you can save money. Zavvi for example has a Mega Monday where there is a price drop on most of their major titles, Play has a deal of the week, even Sainbury’s had a deal on Elder Scrolls 5 – knocking an amazing £5 of the asking price. So seek and you shall find.

Passing the Torch: Bletchley Park Today

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In July next year the Olympic torch will be passed through Bletchley Park, with a special audience of young schoolchildren and I couldn’t be happier. Only in 2008, volunteers and companies such as IBM were working to save the park from running into the ground, so long had its work and significance been overlooked. A campaign spread rapidly with academics writing to national papers in outcry over Bletchley’s neglect. After admirable work, the site was eventually saved in October this year with a lump sum from the Heritage Lottery Fund, enabling the park to be fully restored and brought up to the ‘highest modern standards’. It is time the public took advantage of seeing them.

Bletchley is a place we all know of: famed as the main decryption centre for enemy cyphers during World War Two. It was a place enshrouded in secrecy and that secrecy has been fictionalised and re-imagined several times since its information became public. Films such as Enigma glamourise the park’s history and are surely responsible for a certain amount of popular interest; but the real story of the Park I fear still remains largely secret.

On a recent visit to Bletchley, I couldn’t help but notice I was one of the few people under sixty, or just above the age of five. It seemed to have become a place of nostalgia rather than learning, and through no fault of its own. With its preserved huts- the places where Bletchley workers lived and worked- interactive equipment and real life accounts that are far more interesting that those in the fiction, Bletchley offers one of the few places in the country where history can be experienced rather than learned dryly in a classroom.

Now this may come from a lack of personal mathematic genius, but I believe that perhaps an off-putting feature of the site is that its filled with codes, numbers and theories we assume we’ll never understand, and a day of failing at maths doesn’t sound very fun. It is true, everywhere around the site are the legendary code-breaking machines, accompanied by signs explaining the history of their invention and how they worked. Indeed, some still are working and look rather fascinating whirring around- who would have thought a computing device ever used belts? So people saunter over transfixed by the complex machines, glance at their history, marvel at their construction, look at the buttons and the explanation some very kind person has tried to simplify for us; then sheepishly move on to the next part.

But, contrastingly, these machines epitomise the magic of the place (yes, magic). A spell binding quality comes from the stories of the real people who did understand these clever machines and for the first time. Channel Four recently recognised this with its docu-drama ‘Britain’s Greatest Codebreaker’ about the life of Alan Turing, the radical mathematician who was responsible for the foundation of computer technology and the intelligence instrumental in breaking the German naval Enigma code. Yes, to try and summarise his work is a mouthful, he did a lot. Turing is a figure who seems to embody much of Bletchley; an eccentric personality whose genius was allowed to breathe at the park. Yet, only a few years later he would commit suicide after facing chemical castration for the ‘gross indecency’ of his homosexuality. The history of Bletchley Park, for me, comes alive at this point. Whilst I already had some understanding of the great things achieved here, I couldn’t believe that the man whom our country owed such huge debt to was prejudiced against so disgustingly. History became personal as I measured Turing’s treatment against our modern principles.

For a long time Turing’s work received no thanks or recognition, but both his work and his personal life are commemorated at Bletchley and the Channel Four documentary is made in similar spirit. What is more, ‘Britain’s Greatest Codebreaker’ has the potential to reach a younger audience through Channel Four, particularly whilst still playing on 40D next to shows such as Misfits. This will hopefully encourage a new audience to visit the place where such an interesting character lived and worked for a crucial period of his life. The program’s patchwork of interviews, dramatisation and archive footage could easily be seen as a bit of a mishmash, but in fact recreates a fittingly eclectic portrait of the tragic genius.

In this vein, it should be also noted that Bletchley too has a somewhat eclectic mix of things to see, aside from it’s straightforward wartime history. I had no idea, for instance, that our National Museum of Computing is currently housed there (and I had no idea I would find that remotely interesting). But compared to the likes of the National Science Museum, this little exhibit is housed in a rather ramshackle hut that is almost comically quaint. Not only did it feature a fully operating Colossus machine, but also a tiny room with Wallace and Gromit figures- hardly the modern idea of technology. An old postcard shop selling arrays of stamps, a retro toy museum and a room dedicated entirely to Winston Churchill memorabilia also left me wondering why there wasn’t at least a younger generation of thick framed glasses, skinny jeans wearing vintage seekers. It is a national treasure, packed full of secrets to explore.

 

Wendy's baby diary – 7 months

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Time to cut off the milk supply?

Signs indicating it’s time to stop breastfeeding:

1) Baby’s got more teeth than you’ve got nipples

2) Baby tugs down your top

3) Baby tries to suck other parts of you, in the belief that mummy is made of milk

4) Friends and relatives say ‘You’re not still breastfeeding are you?’

5) Bitty

I think it’s time to hang up the Closed sign on the milk bar. Baby Dillon’s got six teeth. He’s eating solids (toast, blueberries). He’s rolling around the floor and knocking stuff off the TV stand. He’s sleeping through the night in his own bed, in his own room. He’s racing around the
kitchen in his baby walker (able to reverse and manoeuvre past the clothes
horse). What happened to my newborn? Before I know it he’ll be scaling Everest and
I’ll be crying into his baby clothes saying “you used to be this big”.

Baby Rash

Dillon was ill with a rash which turned out to be a viral
infection. It’s so scary to see a bright red rash on his trunk. The instant
concern is, is it meningitis? do the tumbler test. He recovered in a couple of
days, so we took him to visit my mum with a new travel cot, which of course he
didn’t sleep in, and when he doesn’t get any sleep nor do we. The travel cot
also functions as a portable prison ahem playpen so it will get used one way or
another.

Festive

I had thought Dillon was too young to appreciate Halloween
or Guy Fawkes but nearer the time I realised we could enjoy these special
occasions and get some memorable photos. My friend carved him a pumpkin lantern
and Dillon wore a monkey outfit for Halloween and went to a themed baby sensory
class and fancy dress day at his nursery where all the staff wore pyjamas.
Cute. Now I’m looking forward to his first Christmas. He’ll be dressed as baby
Santa with a red hat. The dog will have on a pair of reindeer antlers. And wearing
a knitted Christmas pullover will be Colin Firth. Who can stuff my turkey anyday.

Swimming

Baby swimming lessons have finished, it was a bit of a wash
out with nearly half the lessons cancelled or postponed so we didn’t learn a
lot. Dillon got used to being carried around in water. We might try again in the
New Year so that one day we can have our own Nevermind album cover.

Juggling

Can I manage baby Dillon and a Masters degree and go back to
work? I’m unsure. But you don’t know until you try. Some people thought I was
mad to be starting a MA when I was pregnant. It has been tough and I wouldn’t
still be on the course without support from certain people. Getting out of the
house to go to class has been positive for me. So many mums work full time then
it’s a shock to the system to be at home all day for 9 months to a year. So commuting
into London one or two days a week gives me a bit of normality. I think every
mum, however much she loves her kids, needs an occasional break.

So when I’m worried about running out of nursing pads and number
3 baby formula I can take my mind off it with French and Greek philosophers,
the classical dramatic paradigm and bright young things running about campus.

The main problem I have is burning the midnight oil as I can’t
concentrate until he’s gone to bed and by then I’m hankering for some medicine
(see previous baby diary http://frostmagazine.com/2011/10/wendys-baby-diary-six-months-guilt-isolation-and-men/), go to bed at 2am and get woken by Babezilla at 6.45am.

Congratulations

Lots of happy baby news – congratulations to our friends
Nathan and Bonnie on the birth of baby Samuel, Kevin and Louise who had baby
Aidan and my brother Terry and his wife Ola who had baby Matthew. And to our
friends L&M who are expecting. First timers – you don’t know what you’re in
for. Second timers – memory lapse?

Until next time

I think my get up and go, got up and went!

(c) Wendy Thomson 2011

Wendy Thomson is the editor of www.femalearts.com an online publication
which promotes women in the arts and in business.

Vintage Seekers First Birthday Party {Social Diary}

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Frost joined Vintage Seekers at the RIBA institute on London’s Portland Place to celebrate their first birthday party, alongside shoe designer and vintage muse Charlotte Dellal, Bip Ling, Gemma Cairney, Cara Delivgne, Savile Row tailor Patrick Grant, and Henry Conway.

 



Vintage Seekers sources premium vintage goods from wine to watches and everything in between. The beautiful and historic artifacts on show – and for sale- included beautiful Dior dresses, a picture of Apollo 11 signed by all of the astronauts, a flag signed by Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, classic cars- I loved a beautiful Citroen parked outside- and an Andy Warhol ‘Mao’ screen print.

They do these on their amazing website, and they also have a magazine. I also loved seeing Steve McQueen’s sunglasses. The crowd of collectors, press and celebrities were joined by Vintage Seeker’s two valued investors, luxury retail expert Jurek Piasecki (his experience include being CEO of Mappin & Webb and Goldsmith jewellers) and e-commerce guru Guy Hipwell, the former managing director of Liberty online. Co-founder and director Rob Keylock gave a brilliant speech and seemed happily overwhelmed at how well the night was going.

We drank Champagne and enjoyed Hendricks Gin. The evening finished off with Port and Whitfield cheese. It just may have been the party of the year.

 

Second Skin Theatre present "Poe: Macabre Resurrections"

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If you go to see this production, and I certainly recommend that you do, please remember to wrap up warmly. It was freezing, and this did distract slightly from my overall enjoyment of the show. However, the subject matter was also chilling, so perhaps the cold was deliberate!

Second Skin have taken five of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories and woven them together into a festival of horror. Set in the church where Poe is said to have worshipped as a boy, this is environmental theatre at it’s best. The staging takes place all over the church and grounds, and every nook and cranny is utilized to eerie advantage.

The five pieces are linked together by the preacher (Stephen Connery Brown) who steps are dogged continuously by the raven (David Hugh), from his first startling appearance right up until the dramatic denouement of the show, presided over by the demonic Prospero (Conrad Williams), when the preacher finally descends to his doom.

I had two favourites among the Poe adaptations woven into this drama, the first being “The Cask of Amontillado,” featuring Owen Nolan and Sarah Scott. This piece had a good balance of characters and effective use of different locations, the ending being particularly Poe-esque. Both actors played their parts to perfection. In particular, Owen Nolan’s journey from drunken lechery to abject terror was both believable and frightening.

The second piece I especially enjoyed was “Premature Burial.”  Again, the characters were well balanced and the location was utilised effectually. Michael Amariah’s Jake grabbed your attention from the first moment, Steve Brownlie’s performance as Clive had a dream-like, otherworldliness to it, and Sarah Feathers sympathetic portrayal of the grieving widow was especially poignant.

As well as the cast, the sound and lighting were true stars of this show. The background music (and other noises) contributed hugely to the grisly atmosphere, and the sinister use of lights, candles, projectors, smoke and even electric heaters all added to the supernatural ambience. This is stage management at a level not normally seen on the Fringe. Black box it ain’t!

Overall, I highly recommend a visit to Poe: Macabre Resurrections. You will be cold, you will be scared, but you can buy a glass of wine at the interval, and if you wait around afterwards a woman will come and mop up the blood.

Running till 4 December 2011 Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 8.20pm, St Mary’s Old Church, Stoke Newington Church Street.

Black Friday needs to have an effect in the UK

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The US Retail sector enthusiastically braces itself for a horde of bargain hunters

Today, Black Friday, so-called as it is the day when a vast swathe of the retail sector head out of the red and into the black, may make an economic turning point in the run up to Christmas. With half of the entire US population, some 152 million people, expected to hit the shops over the course of this weekend, up 10% on last year- the spike in trade could mean good news across the economy.

Black Friday usually sees shopping chains throw open their doors in the early hours. But this year that rush has crept into Thanksgiving Day itself. The effect isn’t limited to the US however, as Britain’s biggest and most well-known retailers have started “mega sales” early this year in an attempt to boost Christmas shopping amongst cash strapped shoppers. Amazon, in the run up to Black Friday is offering bargains for its ‘Black Friday Deals Week’ and Comet are offering a 5day Frenzy super sale. In effect this has turned black Friday into one of the biggest online shopping days of the year.

In the run up to Christmas consumers are expected to spend a whopping £7.75 billion on online shopping according to e-tailing trade association IMRG. An estimated £13 billion will be spent across all sectors online, however figures on the high street are expected to fall by 2.1 per cent in spite of so many sales starting early. It is clear that this year’s success stories will be told with a distinctly online lilt.

Kevin Flood, CEO of the leading social shopping website Shopow said, “Retailers that were desperately in need of a reversal of their fortunes have found that they now have an encouraging platform on which to build in the run up to Christmas. High street stores have had to pull out all the stops to make their shops attractive by reducing prices early and creating imaginative promotions to increase footfall and more activity at the tills. It is still far from plain sailing and there is still a lot of pressure on retailers and as long as business and consumer confidence remains low, the battle will continue to persuade shoppers to return in their droves.

“Online activity has emerged as a vital area that will only continue to grow in importance over Christmas. We are expecting a significant amount of Christmas activity online and those who have introduced innovative shopping tools that make shopping easier and more cost effective will take capitalise.”

For the past six years, a combination of increasingly early opening times and an array of discounts have helped make the day after Thanksgiving the biggest shopping day – and cement the term “black Friday.” It will be nonetheless difficult for chains that have struggled with sales declines lately, including the likes of Topshop, to see a benefit from thoroughly deep discounting. Many have opted instead to move into the social shopping environment in order to drive sales through peer to peer reviewing and sustainable discounting.

Social shopping has emerged as an exciting trend in online retailing as many of these high street stores look to engage consumers. It involves the use of social networking to share recommendations, share discounts, post reviews and ask for advice on products before purchase.

Mike Harty COO of Shopow (www.shopow.co.uk) said “Regular web shoppers are now empowered to talk about their purchases in an honest way. Social shopping enables shoppers to use their trusted networks to make informed decisions but also makes online shopping more interactive, enjoyable and indeed sustainable.”