Potters Cookshop in Hockley was “busy right up to closing on Christmas Eve,” reports director Tom Carter. “People certainly did seem confident and keen to be out,” and footfall was “way up on the previous year,” although Tom notes that this was to be expected due to the tier 4 pre-Christmas restrictions in 2020.
He adds: “I’d like to say Omicron has made the public more cautious but, from our experience, I would say people have had enough and are shopping as normal.”
Tom describes Potters Cookshop’s online festive sales as “relentless and surprisingly way up on the previous year,” commenting: “This is something which we didn’t think would grow as rapidly due to customers being able to shop as normal the second half of the year.” The shop extended its packing area in October to accommodate the growth.
Reporting on Christmas bestsellers, Tom states: “Electricals were still hugely popular with sales shifting from mixers to air rryers and what seemed an endless amount of kettles and toasters! We sent out vast amounts of Chilly bottles and mugs so that must have been the gift everyone was giving!”
Top: Detail of Potters Cookshop’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’-themed Christmas windows.
