IT’S been a successful festive season for many of our independent traders – and today there is one last chance to show them your support before Christmas.

Business has been good during December according to many retailers in Suffolk and Essex, with the milder weather helping bring customers to the High Street.

The positive news comes after the EADT launched its Shop Local this Christmas campaign, encouraging shoppers to give independent traders a much-needed boost.

Guy Mitchell, chairman of the Southwold and District Chamber of Commerce, said: “Support from the EADT has been much appreciated.

“Our own Shop Local campaign has received great feedback from people who have reconsidered their shopping habits and the way they shop in the lead up the Christmas. We have been very pleased with the response.

“The streets are busy with people still shopping for last minute items and not feeling the pressure to get things done that they might feel in a big city.

“It’s a much more pleasant experience than fighting in the aisles and pushing a wonky trolley round an out-of-town supermarket.”

Colin Huggins, of Halesworth’s Town centre Group, said: “Business seems to be good for traders and the town centre looks great – particularly the lights on the Market Place.

“The days immediately before Christmas are quite key for us and we hope to attract last minute shoppers.

“This time last year it was very snowy and icy, and although people may be hoping for a white Christmas, we think that the recent good weather has helped from a trading point of view.”

Bob Foyers, of Businesses of Saxmundham (BoS) and co-owner of the town’s Bistro at the Deli, said: “Saxmundham’s shops offer lots of things not readily available at the supermarkets.

“Ideally, there will be a division of labour among families, in which one member does the supermarket shop and another comes to see us in the town centre where they get a personal service and, as long as we can afford to compete for their custom, they are not standing in a big queue of people.”

Christine del Corral, of Woodbridge Health Foods and member of the Woodbridge Town Centre Management committee, said: “It has been wonderful to see the town so busy, and one of the biggest signs of that is the car parks being full to bursting.

“We’re very lucky to be supported by the district council offices allowing people to use its car park for free on Saturdays in the lead up to Christmas.

“It means people get to walk along the length of The Thoroughfare and see part of town they may normally not see.”

Mark Cordell, chief executive of the Bid4Bury, said business in the town had been brisk so far and urged people to make use of Christmas Eve shopping to support their town’s traders for last-minute presents. Bury St Edmunds held six late-night shopping events this year in the build-up to Christmas.

Mr Cordell said: “There has been a really good atmosphere, everybody has been lovely and the entertainers who we brought in [who have included roller skating ‘santarettes’, magicians and street entertainers] have all said what a great place Bury is.”

A spokeswoman for St Edmundsbury Borough Council said: “The Bury St Edmunds town centre car parks last week recorded the highest parking figures to date.”

Chairman of the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Chris Storey said the town had been buzzing in the lead up to Christmas.

He added: “All of the car parks have been full, so we are hopeful that this will be reflected in the shops’ takings.

“The town is a very attractive place at the moment and it has a wonderful Christmassy feel to it.”

James Morgan, owner of independent shop Compact Music, in North Street, said: “We have been quite busy this week and during the past few days we have sold more than 500 copies of the Military Wives CD for the Forces’ charities which is wonderful.

“We are hoping to do well on Christmas Eve, but then the town needs to find a way to keep that level of interest going throughout the year.”

Traders in Felixstowe say they have been encouraged by the number of residents who have turned up in the town to do their Christmas shopping.

The chairman of the town’s chamber of trade, Andrew Rowdon, said: “The traders I have spoken to have said it has been good which is encouraging. We are still in a downturn but in general the feedback I have had has been good which is encouraging.”

Alan Edwards, owner of Minerva Chocolates in Eld Lane, Colchester, said: “Christmas trade is clearly better than last year, without a doubt our takings are up – mainly this is because of the weather.”

“It’s still a tough environment for town-centre shops. I think over the last couple of years the council has really improved what it does to market and promote the town centre.”

Jan Holm, owner of Twenty 01 01 in Eld Lane, was based in Ipswich for 10 years before moving to Colchester. The shop sells a range of jewellery, handbags and other gifts for women.

“We’ve only had a shop in Colchester since March, so I can’t compare the trade to last Christmas, but it’s been quite good,” she said.

Jon Dyvig, co-owner of the Wholefood Store in Manningtree, said: “I would say this has been our best month since we opened 13 years ago. I think the late-night shopping event really helped – I’ve never seen Manningtree so busy.

“We’ve sold a lot of hampers this year, more than any other year.

“I would like to thank everybody who has helped keep our community alive this year.”