CASHING IN

SHOPKEEPERS in Manchester are preparing to take full advantage of a potential sales boom when thousands of foreign football fans flood the city for the European Cup Final at Old Trafford later this month.

Many shops in the city centre and Trafford centre are already accepting euros and others say they will be doing so in the days before and after European soccer's showpiece event.

Marks and Spencer in Market Street has been accepting euros from customers for nearly a year and even have their own currency exchange service in the store which is used by as many as 1,200 people every week.

Pete Swallow, commercial manager at the Market Street branch, said:
"Like the euro or not, what is imperative is that we are geared up to accept it as a standard practice, especially with the European Cup final taking place in the city this month.Manchester United have played a lot of European teams this season and the bureau d'change we have in the store has proved very popular, especially among our foreign customers."

Boots in Market Street say they will be accepting foreign currency in the week before the final and for the few days after it.

The numerous Starbucks coffee houses are busy preparing to accept euros, while Kendals department store on Deansgate is currently considering whether to accept foreign currency.