Town prepares for its Christmas countdown
WITH less than 80 shopping days to Christmas, Billericay is on its annual countdown to the town’s Family Fayre when the High Street will be closed to traffic for the evening of Wednesday December 5. This year there will be a Dickensian and Victorian theme as a backdrop to late night shopping and three hours of entertainment.
Thousands are expected to mingle among the various stalls and activities which will include a hog roast, chestnut roasts, crafts, hot food and olde tyme candy.
Organising the event for the 14th year, Rotarians in the Billericay Mayflower Club are expecting the crowds to be bigger than ever.
Keith Dewis who is heading the organising committee said: “It really is a home town event, for Billericay people, by Billericay people. Back in 1994 when the first of the fun nights was staged our club set out to ensure that it was bigger and better each year. To achieve that we listened to any concerns that people had over the format of the event and did something about it the following year. We reckon we now have the recipe for a great evening that local families will really enjoy.”
The family theme remains strong throughout with a Santa Claus grotto and roundabout type events for the younger children.
It was started as a means of countering the magnet of big centres which lure shoppers away from the town. Local people took up the challenge and transferred much of their Christmas gift buying to their home town for one big spree in the relaxed atmosphere of a traffic-free main street.
Almost all the shops cooperate to the full and many of the businesses in the town use the opportunity to open their offices to their regular clients for some pre-Christmas public relations.
Already the organisers and local traders are linking up to make the most of the event.
Copy Dates for "Resident"
If readers wish to advertise an event or have an article printed in the newsletter the following gives dates by which copy should be received by the editor – Trevor Stansfield, 174 Perry Street CM12 0NX or e-mail Tremar@aol.com:
February issue copy by 15 January, March issue by 15 February, April issue by 15 March, May issue copy by 15 April, June issue by 15 May, July/August issue by 15 June, September issue by 15 August, October issue by 15 September, November issue by 15 October. December/January issue by 15 November, February issue by 15 January.
If an event is to be held before the 10th of the month then, to ensure circulation, the advertisement should be included in the previous month’s issue e.g. an event taking place on 3 May should be advertised in the April issue. Similarly if an event is scheduled for 3 September then the advertisement should appear in the July issue.