CHRISTMAS in Stroud has proved to be one of the ‘best ever’ for traders, with sales significantly higher than previous years.

Shoppers chose to visit Stroud’s vibrant town centre with its range of independent shops offering quirky and unique festive gifts.

Sales were up by 37 per cent at The Toy Shop and Brilliant Disguise compared to Christmas last year, as Stroud’s retail reputation continues to grow.

Jane Mahoney-Wightman, co-owner at Brilliant Disguise, said it has been a ‘buoyant’ and ‘busy’ Christmas.

“There is fantastic choice in Stroud and so many different types of shop that it is a lovely place to visit,” she said.

“Christmas is an extremely important time of the year, we couldn’t keep doing so well the rest of the year if we didn’t have a good one.”

Owners Jane Mahoney-Wightman and Simon Powell opened the popular fashion shop in March, 2007, and they say this has been their best ever year of Christmas sales.

Despite Bramleys fruit and vegetable shop in Merrywalks and FilmFanatic in the High Street closing, the town continues to be renowned for its thriving independent shops.

The award-winning Saturday farmers’ market is also continuing to attract visitors from across Gloucestershire.

One shopper, Caroline Sheldrick, said she went hunting for a green scarf as a Christmas present for her elderly mother in Oxford Street, London, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Bristol but could only find the perfect one in Brilliant Disguise.

Clare Honeyfield, director at Made in Stroud in Kendrick Street, said sales were up by around five per cent from last December.

“It’s been amazing and we are so grateful to everyone for supporting small local businesses,” she said.

“Our overall trade was up and we saw loads of new and established customers.”

Simon Powell, also co-owner of The Toy Shop in Cornhill and The Shoebox in High Street, said he had already started preparing for next Christmas.

“Stroud has got better and better as a place to shop,” he said.

“More and more people come and find something wonderful and quirky from the many different shops.

“The choice of shops is fantastic.

“It is hard work to get everything ready and to make sure people can get what they want.

“We are very pleased and would like to thank all our customers for continuing to support us.”

The busy time of year is now set to continue with the January Sales.

Gerb Gerbrands, organiser of the Christmas markets in Cornhill, said: "The Christmas Eve market was a huge success with it being amazingly busy from 8 right through to lunchtime.

"It's been a fabulous year at the market throughout the year with customer numbers at very high levels throughout. It was also the best year yet for the Christmas markets."