Early evening showers cleared to give Holsworthy dry though chilly weather for late night Christmas shopping on Wednesday, December 10.
The Square and adjacent streets teemed with shoppers, particularly at the narrow end where entertainment was provided while parents and children queued to see Father Christmas, whose grotto this year had been transferred from the NatWest bank to a show caravan outside the Factory Shop. First in the long queue were two-year-old Ellie Evans and five-year-old Ellie Peck.
The Town Band played carols, the Scouts sang songs, there was a display by the majorettes, some routines from the Amanda Brook School of Dance and a fencing display.
The majority of shops, banks and other businesses, including the museum, stayed open till 9pm with some offering mince pies and sherry, a free draw and special offers, while outside the Holsworthy Lions dispensed burgers and free hot soup. Many of the stallholders from the pannier market had stayed on and were joined by others both in the Square, selling Christmas gifts to raise funds for local organisations and charities.
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There were craft stalls in the Memorial Hall and the Information Centre where visitors could watch Rose Hitchings, Bridgerule's answer to Beryl Cook, sketching yet another of her delightful paintings of local scenes and characters.
Back in the Square Holsworthy Army Cadets were holding their latest fundraising venture to give a disabled child from the Holsworthy area a break at the Calvert Trust on Exmoor. For a fee people could either eat an item from 'nature's menu', or pass the task to a cadet in return for a second donation. The surprise menu contained anything from worm omelette, squirrel, to nettle stir-fry, or just a piece of chocolate.
Speaking the next day Beccy Johns, the chairman of the Chamber of Trade, said it had been a successful evening with plenty of shoppers. In their attempt to provide entertainment to those waiting to visit Father Christmas's grotto the narrow end of the Square had become very congested, so this would be rectified for next year.