"Still hope" for Town trading

Monday 06 January 2020

Although some retailers did notice a rise in people choosing to buy local over Christmas, many are still struggling to compete with the world of online shopping.

Late night shopping events, more Sunday trading and extended St Peter Port parking were among initiatives to encourage Guernsey people to utilise the island's shops.

But that wasn't quite enough for some traders, who would like to see more money being spent in the local economy.

"I think people are buying online, particularly this year with the weather being really bad because nobody wants to walk around in the rain," said Owner of Eternity, Karen Savident. "Parking is obviously an issue because, although they did the three hour park, I think most of the offices were parking in the spaces so people were having difficulty. They were the comments we had off people."

Pictured: Eternity.

Despite having a slow start to the festive season, the shop did manage to match its figures from last Christmas.

However, Ms Savident isn't expecting much positive change over the coming years.

"Really you should support local because if you don't then more shops close, which means less money into the economy and more taxes for everyone else to pay," she added. "They may think they're saving money by buying online but long term they won't be saving because it will be costing them."

It's not all bad news though, with some retailers noticing a higher demand for products locally - particularly those made on-island.

"Local is a lot more in demand than ever before and as a result there are more makers and more suppliers coming to me each week," said Owner and Manager of Cadeaux, Vanessa Lasenby.

Pictured: Cadeaux Guernsey Gift Shop.

"I think people are appreciating local products now. They are good quality, very professionally done and well made and I think people appreciate that. Looking at the bigger picture, you are paying to keep people employed, you're paying to keep money on the island and it's all positive really."

 Ms Lasenby still has hope for the future of St Peter Port, despite the recent closure of some big high street names.

"Town is still thriving," she said. "I still feel there's a buzz in Town. Everybody is making an effort to make it a fun place and a good place to be for retailers and shoppers as well.

"Obviously there are a lot of shops closing down, but I still have hope."

Pictured top: The High Street.