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Tube strike to hit west end sales
London’s retailers could be severely affected by tube strikes on Boxing Day, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned. Almost one fifth of retail spending takes place in the capital, providing 380,000 jobs, they said. And the strike could damage the industry at a crucial moment, as shops try to tempt customers ahead of the VAT rise in the new year. “Everyone involved in the tube drivers’ dispute needs to recognise the importance of London retailing and the damage disruption on this scale will cause,” said the BRC’s Stephen Robertson.