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Holly Wilson’s
From The Frontline From the start of the month, people began to Christmas shop in earnest - thank goodness! November was busy but there was a lot of browsing for ideas rather than instant spending. However with payday coinciding with the first weekend of December, we had a really strong start to the festive month and long may it continue!
Inset: The huge community Christmas tree.
Hello Christmas! Aren’t we pleased to see you! O Below: Holly and fellow Stoke Newington traders held a collaborative Christmas trading event to boost sales and community spirit at the beginning of December.
Sunday 8 December we had ‘A very Stokey Christmas’ Event. As traders in Stoke Newington we felt that our street was on the decline so for most of this year we have been rebuilding our community and this culminated in our Christmas event that was months in the planning. All of the shops and cafes had some kind of in-store event from Prosecco and mince pies to candle dipping and glitter lips and beards by the local beautician! Half way down our street is a fire station and on their enormous forecourt is a huge Christmas tree, which gets decorated every year. We organised a Santa’s grotto with a volunteer fireman as Santa and we are even had a snowball fight - white ball pit balls for snowballs as well as a real snow machine to add an authentic feel. There was a huge raffle with prizes donated from all the local shops and restaurants and there was also a ‘Church Street trail’ where customers had to go into all the shops and restaurants and answer a question related to that shop. The person who got the most answers won a hamper, again full of prizes
donated by the shops. There were also a selection of choirs and music. As we’d hoped, it encouraged footfall to the street for a fun day, and helped build our community, with plenty of gift buying along the way! In Primrose Hill there was a Christmas street event in November, which for once brought a huge lift to sales, which was great. Often they can be hit and miss for the actual shops with the traders and activity on the street pulling customers out of the shops. We also did a late night event, again including all of the shops on the street, but this was less successful. I think when your customer base is largely young families (as both of my shops are), late night events are tricky as they coincide with evening bedtime routines. In the midst of all of this Christmas madness, I have to move house! Honestly! Could it be timed any worse? I have a completion date of the 19 December, because that’s super convenient! Who needs to be in store on the 19 December? So I am currently packing a box at home, sending an
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order, unpacking a delivery in store and then trying to keep on top of the book keeping! Sorry to all who have had panic orders and un-replied to emails. Trying to balance the two is proving to be a bit of a logistical nightmare! And then add in all the school Christmas events, which they seem to plan in at 11.30am on a Wednesday because that is obviously very convenient for all working parents! Christmas and I are having a bit of a ‘love hate’ relationship! Black Friday came and went and for the first year I didn’t have customers asking if I was doing a Black Friday sale. I think everyone has realised that it is a false economy and the message to shop independent and support your local high street is really getting through. People are realising that if they don’t support us we won’t be here next year, so for that I am very grateful. So best of luck to everyone this festive period. May your tills ring loud and often! Wishing you all a very merry Christmas. Holly Wilson owns two independent cookshops in North London: Prep in Stoke Newington and Richard Dare in Primrose Hill. She won the Bira Cookshop & Housewares Retailer of the Year Award at the Excellence in Housewares Awards 2019.