Festive events and diversification online helped retailers across Teignbridge cope with a tough Christmas trading period.

Shopkeepers were hit by bad weather, which resulted in several Christmas events being cancelled, and people tightening their belts due to the cost of living. However, where festive town centre events did go ahead, retailers saw trade pick up.

In Ashburton, the general feeling was that takings were approximately 30% down over the year. ‘Footfall was pretty much the same for all the retailers,’ reported Ashburton Chamber of Trade. ‘The first week was affected by the weather and was generally awful for everyone. But trade picked up for all of us over the following three weeks.’ Four stores reported that they had the best turnover ever and a couple said it was double their best month in their trading history to date. The last week in particular 'made my year’, said Mark Burley from Sherewood Gallery.

New products helped stem the downturn, with one of the delicatessens on Ashburton’s North Street reporting record Christmas sales with Panettone cakes helping them achieve record sales for the festive period.

Online sales helped several retailers, with one Ashburton retailer recording a 60% increase, although this was sadly offset by a fall in high street sales.

‘Most are feeling that Joe Public is very much feeling the pinch and that there is not as much money around,’ reported Ashburton Chamber. ‘Some stores and galleries have come up with innovative ways to improve their bottom line, with one holding successful auctions.

A promotion to give away two hampers from Ashburton’s loyalty card initiative ‘went down well at the Christmas Festival, despite the weather giving us biblical amounts of rain on the day’, a Chamber spokesperson said.

In Teignmouth, Christmas sales were mixed, depending on the items shops were selling. ‘Realistically, sales were down,’ said Teignmouth Chamber of Commerce chair Keith Underhill. However, he reported, an increase in ‘turkey and tinsel’ coach trips had helped buoy sales.

‘Increased costs from April with the rise in minimum wage along with a review of small business rates could be the nail in the coffin for some businesses,’ Keith warned. ‘But he remained positive that most traders would weather the storm ‘This town has so much to give if we all work together,’ he commented, citing events such as the Scouts for Sprouts Christmas festival.

Dawlish retailers had to cope with the Christmas market being pulled due to the weather at the end of November. However, they reported brisk trade for the light switch-on and the lantern parade. ‘The reality is that people are struggling,’ said Dawlish Chamber of Trade chair Colin Jolliffe. ‘But retailers remain very positive. There’s a great community spirit in Dawlish, like nowhere else, and there are lots of events planned, including an even bigger light switch on and market for Christmas 2025,’ he added.