The Great Christmas Turn On was initiated at The Harlequin on the 12th November, when Diversity, the Britain’s Got Talent winners entertained a crowd of thousands, despite the pouring rain, which failed to put a damper on the occasion! Chrissy Dawson, the Harlequin’s Marketing Manager, said “Diversity had the crowd in the palm of their hands last night as they danced their way through the rain. They amazed us with their dance routines, which ended with Perry hitting the switch to light up The Harlequin for Christmas.”
So, now is the time to take a deep breath and prepare for all that the Festive Season can throw at you! This has not been a great year for Britain’s High Street and retailers up and down the country have been feeling the pinch, despite the fact that many people are better off because of low mortgage rates and the reduction in VAT, etc. Loss of confidence and a recognition that in general we have been borrowing too much have resulted in a reining in of expenditure everywhere.
Will Christmas prove to be a time to put these worries to one side and, even if only temporarily, ease the purse strings? We’ll have to see but one thing is certain, a lot of retailers are dependent on the Christmas trade to carry them through the up and downs of the whole year. If shoppers continue to constrain their spending there will be a few more boarded up shop fronts with To Let signs pinned on them in the New Year. So, if you can afford it, get out there and shop a little, your High Street needs you!
