Every day is Christmas in Rochester's year-round Christmas store

KentOnline / KMTV

As early seasonal spending continues to grow across the county, our reporter Nailah Mahomed visited the permanent Christmas store and went out into Rochester to ask residents how soon is too soon to start celebrating.

Transcript

00:00I think you can start preparing for Christmas discreetly from August.

00:06I don't like celebrating it until after my birthday, which is today.

00:10So in December is fine for me.

00:13October.

00:15I like it in December as well to start it, yeah, not too early.

00:19Yeah, same with me 12 days before.

00:22For many across Kent, Christmas comes but once a year.

00:25But for this store in Rochester, every day is Christmas Day.

00:29Times Christmas is the UK's largest Christmas store, open seven days a week all year round

00:35and attracts thousands of people just on a weekend.

00:38From every tremendous fur you could wish for, to lights brighter than Rudolph's red nose,

00:43Time Christmas really slays it.

00:46People want that magic, so they're coming out now and going a little bit crazier than they used to.

00:52We've had people travel from Scotland, we've had people travel from Wales,

00:56So we really are all over from people, so.

00:59The store is so enchanting that customers keep coming back for more.

01:03I come here actually quite often if I'm at work and I'm feeling a bit,

01:07then I just come in here and I absolutely love it.

01:11Just take my time walking around, listening to the music.

01:14It's just such a good feel-good factor.

01:17I go back to the office and I feel great.

01:19It's local to me, I live here in Medway Towns.

01:22It's just awesome, fantastic, it's seasonal.

01:25You know, what more could you say about, you go to other shops, there's a little bit of Christmas.

01:31But this is dedicated Christmas, Christmassy crib time.

01:34And even the big man himself had something to say.

01:39I've been doing Santa for all these years.

01:41This is probably my best ever venue.

01:44After doing errands, families, all the top toy shops and garden centres and all of that.

01:51This is the cream of the pie.

01:54But what's driving all this Christmas spending?

01:57Chris Britcher, Kent Online's business editor, says the trend of earlier festive shopping is being fuelled by rising sales events.

02:05According to the Bank of England last year, the average family spent about an extra £700 in December,

02:10which is obviously a significant spending uptick.

02:13It's about 30% up on the normal months of the year.

02:17And, you know, as we all know, a lot of retailers are entirely reliant on that Christmas period

02:22to really boost their revenues and keep them ticking over during the quieter months.

02:27And with year round stores like Time Christmas keeping the festive spirit alive well beyond December,

02:32it's clear that for shoppers and businesses alike, the season of spending never truly melts away.

02:38Nayla Mehmed for KMTV.

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