CARLISLE'S main shopping mall says footfall is up by a fifth since Primark opened there.

The discount fashion retailer is continuing to draw in big crowds to The Lanes, with shoppers keen for bargains.

It opened last month to an enormous fanfare, with customers queuing to get in. Many said they had waited years for the store to come to Cumbria.

David Jackson, commercial director of The Lanes, said: "It's all good news. Footfall is about 20 per cent up on last year and weekends are definitely busier.

"Primark, Toys R Us and the opening of the Disney store has helped boost numbers.

"Primark are very private and won't release any official figures.

"But I do know that they are very pleased with how things are going in Carlisle.

"They have said that the Carlisle store has beaten all their expectations."

On Primark's opening day footfall was up 54 per cent, reaching 34,979, compared with 22,700 on the same day in 2015.

Mr Jackson said weekends were busier and late night shopping, which started on Thursday, is also expected to draw in the crowds.

He said: "Weekends are busier than last year with figures 30 per cent up on Saturdays and a big increase on Sundays.

"I expect we will be busy from now right through until Christmas.

"We've also got Black Friday [where retailers slash prices] to come, which usually draws crowds in."

Details of the boost came in the week Carlisle City Council leader Colin Glover said it was "hugely irresponsible" for a retail analyst to suggest that the city's Marks & Spencer store is at risk of closure.

The Local Data Company, without any access to the criteria M&S will use to decide which of its 60 stores are to close or become food-only, included Carlisle and Barrow in a list of potentially vulnerable stores.

Mr Glover said there was no reason for M&S to close its clothing and home store in Carlisle.

He described the store as a "key part of the city centre" and, as far as he knew, was not at risk.

He added: "I don't believe they have taken into consideration the total catchment of half a million people in the area."