Oldham shoppers set to spend a scary 442,000 hours preparing for Halloween

Oldham Shoppers Set to Spend a Scary 442,000 Hours Preparing for Halloween

Oldham will be pulling out all the stops for Halloween this year as shoppers are set to spend more than 442,000 hours preparing for their spooky celebrations.

In a survey of 2,000 people by British Land, owners of Elk Mill, Oldham residents said they are planning to devote half a working day on average (3.5 hours) to their ghoulish preparations, which will include choosing fancy dress, creating Halloween themed goodies and designing spooky decorations.

For many Oldham residents, a large amount of this time is likely to be spent turning their homes into a Halloween extravaganza, more than a third say they are more likely to host a house party for Halloween than any other occasion throughout the year, including birthdays.

Whether Oldham locals are hosting or attending a party, it appears traditional Halloween activities remain popular favourites. Pumpkin carving (33%) and making Halloween-inspired food and drink (33%) both feature on the list of the top ways that residents will celebrate Halloween this year, along with creating spooky decorations (28%) and dressing their children up in costumes (23%).

Daniel Davis, centre manager at Elk Mill said: “Halloween has surged in popularity over the past few years with shoppers going all out to plan the perfect party or costume.

“Our research is evidence that people are investing a lot of time and effort into making sure their Halloween is a success and they feel a certain amount of pressure to make their celebrations spectacular.

"We are expecting a busy period between now and the 31st as shoppers look for all of the weird and wonderful Halloween treats and essentials that our retailers have to offer.”