Stores fear hiring Xmas help as it is ‘more loss than gain’

THE run-up to Christmas is known to be a busy time for businesses, with long queues and packed shops.

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Many shops come to hire extra helpers, festive decorations go up, and people flock to restaurants to book in for their Christmas parties. Walking into Long Eaton, I felt as though the festive spirit had not yet arrived in the town.

While shops had festive displays in their windows, it did not seem as if they had attracted a lot of shoppers.

“We've seen so many ‘to let’ signs go up this year, it's no surprise people choose elsewhere to shop," said a shopkeeper I spoke with.