13/11/10………Wintry boost for Thame retailers -AMENDMENT
ADDED 13/01/11 – FOLLOW the LINK to see Thame retailer, Yvette Cundy’s interview with Sky News, when Sky’s live news programme was filmed from Thame market on Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A QUICK straw poll among Thame’s independent retailers today, 12/01/11 indicates that the severe wintry weather that hit their sales on, what should have been the busiest pre-Christmas shopping day, the Saturday before, actually benefited many of them.
One of the biggest threats to independent retailers in towns like Thame have been the large, all-encompassing shopping centres like those in High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Bicester and Oxford. But it seems that local publicity to encourage people to shop locally, and the worst snow and ice for years preventing any buses from running, may have persuaded many people not to attempt to drive out of town to do their Christmas shopping.
“On the day after the heavy snow fall, Sunday, December 19, the town seemed really busy,” said Christian Winslade, of Fore Golf. “There was a real buzz about the town and we were really busy in the shop all day. It was as if people had been putting off Christmas shopping and suddenly realised that they had better get on with it, and come into town. I would say that compared with the same period last year, we were up on our takings.”
The economic downturn it seems, has had little effect on couples deciding whether or not to wed in 2011. Christian said that, whereas this time last year, Fore Golf would have possibly one wedding hiring booked (they hire out dinner suits, top hats etc) they already has five for 2011.
Pet Care in Cornmarket, Thame, reported that they had experienced the best December for years and Kismet Jewellers too, said that they had achieved more sales than anticipated. Yvette Cundy said: “We certainly benefited from last minute present shoppers and I am sure that the weather contributed to our customers shopping locally rather than venturing out to the bigger town centres.”
The gift and card shop, All Wrapped Up, which moved to larger premises in Buttermarket earlier in the month, reported a “tremendous” December, and the proprietor of the lingerie shop too reported that sales were up on last year, noting that her customers were mostly her regulars spending more, rather than new customers.
The Thatch restaurant and pub, in the High Street, lost 60 bookings over that snow-bound weekend, but according to Manager, Frazer Sutherland, they more than made up for it in fresh bookings during the week that followed in the run up to Christmas itself.
So, whilst many of Thame’s independent retailers seem to have survived 2010, the rise in VAT and other cuts that will begin to hit in the next couple of months, mean that they are not complacent and will continue to add value to what they have to offer, to concentrate on the great customer service they are known for, and continue to fight for the Thame pound.
