Join our campaign and back your town centre traders at Christmas

It's not too late to make the most of your high street and bag a stocking filler in time for Christmas.
Paul Cartwright.Paul Cartwright.
Paul Cartwright.

Freezing weather over the weekend hit trading in town centres across the country as shoppers stayed at home.

But milder conditions are expected on Saturday and Sunday for the last weekend before Christmas.

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Paul Cartwright, chairman on Pontefract Civic Society, said: “Pontefract has a great town centre and a fantastic range of independent shops as well as national names.

“If people are looking for stocking fillers or something special Pontefract is the place to be.

“This year we have seen more and more shops decorate their window displays. We have had better and worse years for traders getting involved with the displays but this time I’ve lost count.

And the town’s Haribo-sponsored lights are unique.”

Retail experts Springboard said that figures for Christmas shopping were 9 per cent lower on Saturday, compared with the same time last year.

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When shopping centres and retail parks were taken into account, footfall was 7.3 per cent lower.

The number of people out shopping in the UK in November dropped to its lowest level since the 2008 recession, retail researchers say.

Meanwhile fashion retailer Laura Ashley, which has a store at Ings Road in Wakefield, is to close around 40 stores as the company’s new chairman plans a different direction for the company.