Our town still has so much to offer

AFTER complaints about bus gates and countless pound and charity shops, shoppers say they are turning their backs on Huddersfield this Christmas.

A poll run by the Examiner revealed 20% of people will do their Christmas shopping in Huddersfield, with 80% shopping elsewhere.

Of the 568 people who responded, 27% said they’d go into Leeds, 17% into Manchester and 36% somewhere else.

So does Huddersfield town centre offer enough for shoppers to tick everything off their Christmas shopping list?

Is online shopping the easiest option, or are out-of-town retail parks best? I put it to the test. Clearly, the answer depends on what’s on your list. And mine proved challenging to get in one place.

First up, parking: £2.86 for five hours. A good price, it’d cost more in petrol to a regional retail park and it is cheaper than the total postage costs for online shopping.

My list: I have a 15-month-old son and am sticking to the ‘four gift rule’ before commercialism hits him in years to come.

The rule: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read.

We decided his ‘want’ would be a play kitchen. He loves the kitchen, opening and closing the doors, emptying cupboards and banging pans.

First item and I failed. I can’t carry a massive box through town to the car park so it’s easier to order online.

His ‘need’ would be a new swimming suit. He’s had the Splashabout fleece-lined wetsuit but it’s getting a bit short on his legs.

Fail once again, but I’ve had a tip a Holmfirth shop sells similar, so maybe I can stay local with the gift.

Something to wear is easy, Christmas jumper and pyjamas easily bought in the town centre, as was his ‘something to read’ with a selection of classic children’s stories in his stocking.

All from High Street shops so could have easily ordered online, but the postage costs would total more than I paid for parking.

So what about the rest of my Christmas shopping? It was a mixed bag.

I got dad a selection of local and northern beers from an independent town centre retailer, but I wasn’t inspired by any gifts for a mum who doesn’t know what she wants. I decided on a trip out of town to a farm shop to get her a range of local food treats she loves.

Grandmas were easily sorted with bath creams and edible treats, and I was able to get presents for three of four young nieces. But I failed on four other specific gift requests despite looking in most shops.

All ordered online, though different delivery companies meant some box swapping time with neighbours.

I got nine out of 15 presents in or around Huddersfield, which clearly proves it’s not impossible to shop local and, with online postage costs, it was cheaper too.