Shopkeepers in Smalltown have given their verdict on trade over the Easter weekend, traditionally the start of the official holiday season in the town, with crowds of holidaymakers thronging the town centre and beach and sensible locals giving it a wide berth.
Howlin Norris of G.W.Hurlings in Main Street said “We had a marvellous holiday period. The Town Centre was absolutely packed, and no wonder really, given that the Smalltown Shops (SS) group didn’t put on one of their eternal ‘Fun’ days which shut Main Street for hours.
The glorious weather on Saturday really brought out the crowds. We actually sold out of newspapers, books and magazines, as people wanted something to read on the beach.”
Owner of the Sweet Stack, Glyn Glaurence said “It was a good start to the season for us, we totally sold out if sweets as people wanted something to snack on on the beach.”
Meanwhile, husband and wife team, Shirley and Pepsi Penguin, who recently opened two shops on Smalltown seafront declared themselves “Delighted with our first proper weekend of trading.”
Shirley added” We had a particularly great day on Saturday in the Tat Shop and completely sold out of buckets and spades as people wanted to build sand castles on the beach.“
However, Squire Teflon’s close-friend and employer Mistress Bones of the Newspaper and Tat Emporium said “I don’t want to talk about it. If only my SS group had organised something to close Main Street I probably would have sold out of everything as well.”