Late night opening a success, says Chamber of Commerce

Reepham's shops held their first late night opening of the year to coincide with Halloween. Organised by Reepham Chamber of Commerce, the evening event on 30 October was designed to get residents to come along and see what the town’s traders had to offer.
 

Reepham's traders reported a total spend of more than £1,500 at the Halloween late night opening on 30 October

 
All the shops and cafés around the Market Place were open for the evening. The Chamber had organised a Children’s Halloween Trail sending them from shop to shop with their families collecting clues to solve a Halloween puzzle. Those who succeeded were rewarded with a treat, thanks to the generosity of Johnsons of Reepham, who donated chocolate bars and sweets.
 
Many of the shop and cafés owners had entered into the spirit of Halloween, offering treats ranging from pumpkin soup to children’s face painting.
 
Chairman of Reepham Chamber, Brenda Gostling, was delighted with the success of the evening. “Traders have reported a total spend of over £1,500 during the evening, which is fantastic,” she said.
 
“But even more importantly, they have welcomed in people who normally do their shopping outside the town. We have a wonderful diversity of shops here offering things that can’t be found on many high streets. This event was about making sure all of Reepham knows what we have.”
 
The late night opening was part of an ongoing initiative to stimulate Reepham’s economy, which is supported by Broadland District Council. Reepham Chamber is organising a range of projects to help local businesses compete both on the ground and online. Plans are in place to encourage businesses to engage with social media, with two training courses organised in late November/early December.
 
Following on from the success of the Halloween late night opening, Reepham Chamber of Commerce is planning to hold another one in the run up to Christmas. The date is Thursday 5 December from 5 pm to 8 pm. It is hoped to arrange for special offers and events on the night. Further details will be announced soon.
 
See our earlier news stories:
Reepham late night shopping and Halloween treasure hunt
Free social media training for businesses and community groups
 

Related stories: