TRADERS in Teignmouth have had a mixed time over the festive season but Dawlish shopkeepers say things have been better than they could have expected.

The final reckoning will be after the festive period but it is expected food shops and outlets will have fared well.

However, chairman of Teignmouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce Keith Underhill said it was ‘difficult to say’ how the town’s retail trade has performed this year.

He said: ‘Until the New Year, I don’t think we will be able to see.

‘Businesses are putting on a brave face.

‘It’s going to be a case of seeing in January before we finally find out what has happened.’

He said there had not been the amount of people in the town as would be expected in the last couple of days before Christmas.

And he added several cafes and shops had not opened at all on the Friday before Christmas Day when they would have been expected to be open.

Some businesses have seen figures down compared to last year.

Keith also highlighted a lack of free parking in the town in the run-up to Christmas which may have had a negative effect.

He said: ‘Historically we used to have free parking on Sundays in December.

‘Parking costs certainly have an effect on numbers of shoppers.’

Meanwhile traders in Dawlish have enjoyed a ‘better than expected’ festive season.

In spite of the cost of living crisis, businesses in the town seem to have enjoyed a good last week before Christmas.

Chairman of the Chamber of Trade Neil Salter said industrial action by postal workers had benefitted traders as shoppers came out last minute for gifts which had not been delivered.

He said: ‘It does seem to be quite positive considering the cost of living crisis.’

Vice Chairman Sarah Nicks and her husband Sean, who run Number Seventeen and the Shoe Centre which opened both on Boxing Day and Holiday Tuesday, said Dawlish was home to a thriving number of independent retailers and businesses.

Sarah said the chamber had been working hard, putting on events and Christmas trees outside business premises, to make the town the best it can be.

She said: ‘We are going to survive no matter what and pull out all the stops to get through this financial dip and provide what our customers want and are looking for.’

Sean added: ‘We just need local people to support us.

‘We do everything we can to bring people into the town.’

Several coach trips have been in the town since Christmas Day which has brought in customers.