THERE’LL be music, lights and plenty of good cheer in Hythe High Street on Thursday, December 10, when traders and the Hythe Chamber of Commerce & Tourism team up for Christmas late night shopping and an evening of festive season events starting at 6pm.
Shops (staying open until 9pm), restaurants and other businesses are taking part. Refreshment-sampling offers, two bands – Hythe Salvation Army and New Romney Air Training Corps – and, for young visitors, Father Christmas and a Punch and Judy show, will add sparkle to the event.
Chamber chairman Kevin Howell said: “Weekday late night shopping, introduced last year to replace the pre-Christmas event previously held on Sundays, proved a great success. Everyone had a good time and many people rounded up gift-shopping with a visit to a restaurant. Now, it’s fingers crossed that the weather will again be kind so that everything goes with a swing and give the town a real boost.
“High Street traders are determined to defy the recession and to showcase Hythe as the place to come for friendly shopping which won’t break the bank as well as for a choice of pleasurable leisure-time activities”.
Mr Howell said that the chamber’s original plan for late night shopping events had had to be amended because it had not been possible to meet the timetable for applications to public authorities for permission to stage certain activities or to afford the additional cost of speeding up authorisation processes.
“But we have not allowed red tape to spoil the party. There’ll be plenty going on to give the festive season a lighthearted send-off. Shops and other businesses have come up with imaginative ideas to attract and entertain customers. As usual, the chamber is putting Christmas trees up all along the High Street”.
Christmas trees will be hoisted into position above High Street shops from 9.30 am on Tuesday, November 24. Photograpers are welcome.
More information: Kevin Howell – 01303 266301
