Copyright bbc
Thomas McKillen is the managing director of McKillens of Ballymena. He also helps run Ballymena Business Improvement District, which organises the discount day. He said Thursday is "unique to Ballymena" and "a brilliant day's trading". "In today's world where the high street has been getting a pounding over the years, it just means that we do two weeks business in one day," he said. "We all hear about online shopping and it's there; we all use it; we have it ourselves. It's not going away, but there's something about interacting with people. "It's still very much a Northern Ireland thing, a rural market town like Ballymena thing." His family business has been open since 1926. He said Thursday helps get customers to choose Ballymena over larger platforms like Amazon. "All that we're doing these days is battling, those are the things that are part of our world. "It's not that they're a problem in a sense, but we have to be aware of them, and encourage people to get out of your house and come on to the high street and enjoy the buzz." He said, as well as the sales, there is live music and entertainment and "it just gives you a feel good factor".
