'Support us at Christmas so we can survive', say traders

Sarah Thorp, who runs art shop Room 212, says Christmas is one of the most important times of year for independent shops

Bristol's Gloucester Road is famous for its long strip of independent businesses which include greengrocers, butchers and toy shops. But as shoppers are enticed to buy online with endless Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, how can local traders hope to get enough footfall to compete?

Sarah Thorp runs the independent art shop Room 212 on Gloucester Road and is frank about what Christmas means to traders like her.

"This is our busiest time of the year, we hope. It's the time that gets us through the next year," she said.

Her shop sells ceramics, jewellery and prints from local artists, but for the past decade she has arranged a Christmas shopping evening on her stretch of the street to entice people to support local.

This year's event took place on Thursday and involved a street party with lots of free food and activities.

"It's a really lovely, community-type event," she said.

"People round here are great, they really like to support us and buy local rather than buy online.

"It's much more personal and it all feeds back into the community."

As part of the event, local shops in Bishopston extended their opening times for the night.

There was also free food tasting and activities, including wreath making and biscuit decorating.

Sarah said that she gives little thought to Black Friday.

"It's not on my radar I don't think about it.

"This is my community, it's a very different world than sitting at home looking on your laptop," she said.

Local business owner Harriet Budgett, from Boujon Bakery, also took part in the event.

She opened her shop in October after starting her biscuit decorating business online.

'Sense of belonging'

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol Breakfast presenter, Joe Sims, Ms Budgett said shopping local is vital to keeping independent businesses going.

"We put so much work into it and your order could be that last push to get people to keep going with their business because times are hard," she said.

"It’s also just nice to have that community sense of belonging.

"[Gloucester Road] is amazing, since I opened it has completely changed my business.

"I’m loving it, I have people coming in asking about the business, I get to talk to them.

"I’ve been online for four years and it’s nice to have that personal touch."

'Buzzy feeling'

The Christmas street party has been a recurring event in the area locally known as ‘Pigsty Hill’.

Shops that took part stayed open until 20:00 GMT, allowing for people to carry out some late-night Christmas shopping.

"It just feels sort of buzzy in the evening, it’s unusual to be open at that time.

"It adds to the atmosphere, it’s a nice community neighbourhood feeling and a good way of discovering a bit of Gloucester Road," added Ms Thorp.