With Christmas just around the corner, towns up and down the country are bustling with shoppers tracking down the perfect presents.
And Epsom is no different.
Despite it being a cold Tuesday, the streets were full of people boldly leaving the shelter of the Ashley Centre’s centrally heated shops to visit the High Street.
We interviewed (and filmed) some passers-by to find out how they feel about the quality of Epsom’s Christmas shopping experience.
Anthony Costigan said: “I have been shopping here for about fifteen years and I’ve always found what I wanted.
“There’s a lot of variety, shops change, people come and go – businesses come and go – but they are always replaced by something else that’s new and can be enticing.”
Booklovers have been celebrating the return of Waterstones too – opened in time for Christmas – which according to the manager has been extremely busy.
Nigel Purton, visiting with a friend, said: “It’s improving now they’ve got a Waterstones. They’ve got a bookshop at last. It’s not too bad but there’s no record shop that’s the main thing.
“They ought to have a record shop in Epsom. I go to Wimbledon if I want to get anything because there’s an HMV there. There’s an HMV in Kingston, but there’s nothing round here if you want records.
“It’s quite a nice town for shopping though, isn’t it, Epsom?”
Another man commented that the markets in the pedestrian area by the clocktower were essential to keeping Epsom’s character and status as a traditional market town.
He added that nowadays it’s mostly coffee shop chains and mobile phone shops, “with very little else”.
Noelle Genevier, shopping with her daughter, said: “It’s convenient, it’s easy to get to, the parking is good and there’s a fair amount of choice.”
The friendliness of staff in some of Epsom’s shops was praised too.
Hazel West, 86, said: “I find on the whole – particular in Marks & Spencer’s – they are very helpful and because I am nearly 87 I find that very helpful.
“And also, I went into Next and they were very helpful. So, on the whole, very helpful people. Perhaps everyone has got a Christmas spirit, which is good!”
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