South Lakeland retailers report 'slow start' in festive sales

But business has begun to pick up slightly as last minute present hunters flocked into towns on the last weekend before Christmas.

This year marked the inaugural Kendal Christmas markets - featuring a German market, Made in Cumbria festive stalls and ice rink.

A South Lakeland District Council spokesman said: “This was a pilot year for a Kendal Festive Fortnight and we are still evaluating all the facts and figures, but certainly the initial feedback has been very positive.

“Early discussions suggest the vast majority of shopkeepers in Market Place thought it was a good event and brought people in to the town centre.

"We have also had a number of the stallholders involved in the German-style Christmas Market contact us to thank the council for organising it."

Mark Matthews of handbag specialists Cobbler John, Kirkland, praised increased efforts in the town to attract shoppers.

“You’ve got to start somewhere – the Christmas market was perhaps not as big and brash as people thought it was going to be but if people support it, it’s something to build on," he said.

“We’ve had a slow start to business but it’s certainly picked up – the bad weather has been a bit of an issue.”

Of the larger businesses, Kendal’s Waterstones said trade had been ‘very buoyant’, and Laura Ashley reported a ‘busier’ festive period.

But Belinda Roos, manager of Oxfam in Kendal, said sales had been ‘quieter than expected’, adding: “We are dragging behind on most things apart from Christmas cards."

In Windermere and Bowness, Chamber of Trade secretary Adrian Faulkner, said several retailers had reported ‘a pretty good year so far’, in part due to late night openings and free parking on Sundays.

Fiona Wilson, owner of Honeypot, Hawkshead, reported that festive gift sales had been up on last year, saying: “Some people are going back to shopping locally because it’s less stressful than shopping online – you’re not worrying about whether it’s going to arrive on time.”