BY COLM BRADLEY

For a long time there has been a trend of Southern shoppers crossing the border to do their Christmas shopping. In more recent years these same shoppers would venture up on the odd bank holiday to capitalise on the savings offered. Now we see that the these shopping trips are happening even more regularly with some people making the trip as often as twice a month.

The new ASDA seems to attract a lot of southern visitors. The car park is filled with southern registration cars. Of the obvious regs from Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan are littered throughout but now they are being joined by cars from further afield. Roscommon, Mayo, Meath, Sligo and Dublin are just some of more distant registrations that can be found sprinkled throughout the car park. On Sunday 'the Herald' got chatting to a few of these keen Southern Shoppers, Cathy McNichloas from Charlestown in county Mayo said that, 'prices are much lower than at home even taking into account the conversion rate.' She went on to explain that it was well worth the hour and a half drive which she makes once a month. Eilleen Walsh, who hails from neighbouring Roscommon was overloaded with bags but still managed a quick comment, 'Sure isn't it great. That big store has everything in there and so much cheaper.'

Brendan Power who had amazingly travelled all the way from the outskirts of Dublin was kind enough to speak as he filled his coolbags at the checkout;

"We come here once every two months. We fill these cool bags with the meat and frozen goods and then head back." Brendan went on to explain that the round trip was about six hours long but that they often took time out to enjoy the 'local scenery and beautiful lakes.' And when asked cheekily how much the shopping costs he had no problem telling us it was four to five hundred euro in total but that it was well worth it in the long run because of the 'bargains and offers that could be picked up'.

With Tesco opening shortly there will be another reason for shoppers to flock to Enniskillen and Fermanagh.