Devon and Cornwall Traders Emphasize Need for Footfall Following Storm Darragh Closures

Businesses, including traders and stall holders, across Devon and Cornwall have reported a decline in sales after numerous establishments were compelled to cease operations during the weekend due to Storm Darragh. Specifically, the Festive Weekend event in Falmouth was called off, and the Christmas Market at Exeter Cathedral remained shut on Saturday, both attributed to severe winds and precipitation. The Christmas period represents a crucial sales season for businesses, and many are now aiming to compensate for the revenue lost during the closures over the coming weeks. Tracy Woodcock, who owns an independent business in Falmouth, issued a reminder to the public that local shops were “still here and we still want to see people”. Richard Gates, Falmouth’s town manager, stated that the choice to cancel the Festive Weekend event was “not easy, but it was the right one”. Gates elaborated, saying: “It takes about 10 months to plan it; there would have been loads of activities through the town. “We wanted it to go ahead but we had to take a sensible safety approach and we ultimately had to cancel it.” The Christmas Market at Exeter Cathedral successfully resumed operations on Sunday. A spokesperson for the market commented: “We are enormously grateful to our wonderful traders for their co-operation and understanding on Saturday, and to our amazing staff and security team for getting the market back up and running again so quickly on Sunday.” Joseph Malin, a stall holder at the market, estimated a 10% to 15% reduction in his turnover due to the day-long closure. He remarked: “We only have five big Saturdays for the duration of the market whilst we’re here and one of them was lost, unfortunately. But, hopefully, between now and next week, we can recoup some of those losses.” Nicholas Hocking, another trader, stated: “Saturday is like the biggest day of the week – it’s usually full of people, it’s where you get the most trade.”You kind of live for the weekend at these markets, so not ideal. But, at the end of the day, it was a big storm and they did the right thing by closing it down.” In Falmouth, Tracy Woodcock, proprietor of Bow Fashion, underscored the significance of supporting local businesses during the period leading up to Christmas. She added: “We need to see more footfall; it’s gone a lot quieter. “In tourist towns, seaside towns, in January and February, we know it’s going to be really quiet, so we were relying on that weekend.”We’re still going to make it count, we’ve got plenty of time to. “We’re here and we still want to see people.”