SHOPS and businesses across Haslemere have given their shop fronts a festive makeover and are chasing votes from their customers and local people as they compete to win this year’s Christmas Windows competition.

As this selection of festive shop fronts shows, a great deal of time and effort has been spent by a wide range of Haslemere businesses which are seizing the opportunity to attract custom at this all-important time of year.

“Once again we are delighted to see the creativity of our wonderful local businesses and the competitive spirit in which they have enthusiastically taken part,” said Rev Justin Manley-Cooper of the competition’s sponsors, the Parish of Haslemere.

“Coping with the pandemic and lockdowns has made it an extremely tough couple of years for local businesses, so we are delighted to be playing our part in encouraging people to think local and to shop local,” he added.

A panel of judges will select the winning windows tomorrow (Friday) and award prizes for the most festive display, the most stylish, and the window which is most complementary to that shop’s business. Winners will each receive a hamper filled with locally-sourced goodies.

Community voting is open until next Monday (December 13). Anyone who wants to support their favourite window can scan the QR code which each business will also be displaying on a poster in its window, or vote via the Parish of Haslemere website.

The blue ribbon prize, along with the long-lost antique silver cup which has recently been discovered, will be awarded to the winner of the community vote, while one individual from among all the community votes cast will be selected and will also win a hamper of local goodies.

Details and photos of the winning windows will be in next week’s Herald.