Ramadan Rush

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Ramadan Rush was first coined in 2011 by the British media and embraced by the retail sector as it became noticeable that the UK was attracting huge numbers of wealthy Middle Eastern visitors around the time of Ramadan, which happened to fall on 1 August on this year. [1]

Ramadan The ninth month in the Islamic calendar, and the month of fasting for Muslims

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm) to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths.

In 2012 the New West End Company, the management company for retailers in Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street explained; ‘The Ramadan Rush is a total phenomenon... It is worth millions to us (the UK) — last year there was about £120 million spent in the pre-Ramadan rush by Middle Eastern visitors, but it grows every single year. We expect it to be up ten per cent this year (2013)'. Many Bond Street and Mayfair retailers have catered for their luxury customers by opening later, hiring Arabic speaking staff, and providing tax refund services including Global Blue and Premier Tax Free. [2] [3]

Oxford Street major road in the City of Westminster in London

Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch via Oxford Circus. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors, and as of 2012 had approximately 300 shops. It is designated as part of the A40, a major road between London and Fishguard, though it is not signed as such, and traffic is regularly restricted to buses and taxis.

Bond Street street in the West End of London (officially Old Bond Street and New Bond Street)

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Regent Street Shopping street in London

Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It is named after George, the Prince Regent and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton. It runs from Waterloo Place in St James's at the southern end, through Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus, to All Souls Church. From there Langham Place and Portland Place continue the route to Regent's Park.

As Ramadan dates change each year, [4] the term 'Ramadan Rush' is also associated with the term 'Supercar Season' which occurs in July and August as wealthy Middle Eastern nationalities arrive in the UK to escape the heat of the Gulf States, taking their supercars with them. [5]

Supercar Season

The term "Supercar Season" began in London and became synonymous with wealthy Middle Eastern visitors showcasing their supercars in affluent London neighbourhoods, namely Knightsbridge and Kensington, while car enthusiasts collect footage to upload to social media applications, such as YouTube.

Arab states of the Persian Gulf

The Arab states of the Persian Gulf are the seven Arab states which border the Persian Gulf, namely Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This excludes the non-Arab state of Iran. All of these nations except Iraq are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and prefer to use the term "Arabian Gulf" rather than the historical name of the Persian Gulf.

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References

  1. "Christmas comes to London in July as stores cash in on 'Ramadan rush'". Evening Standard. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  2. "Ramadan Rush/Eid Statement". New West End. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  3. "UK retailers braced for sales jump to rival Christmas, as 'Ramadan Rush' gets under way". Telegraph.co.uk. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  4. "Ramadan begins in United Kingdom" . Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  5. "'Supercar season' hits central London". BBC News. Retrieved 19 May 2016.