In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, amidst the festive aroma of mince pies and satsumas, we explore the significance of Christmas as the pivotal lifeline for the retail sector.

The widespread belief suggests that the holiday season is a decisive make-or-break period for many businesses. However, we examine whether this notion still holds true, or if it has evolved into something of a myth.

Reporter Chris Penhall talks to Sara Tupper, Chelmsford BID Manager, on how the city centre retail scene gears up to get tills ringing during the Christmas season, and Helen Wood, Manager at Colchester Waterstones looks at the importance of Christmas on the retail/hospitality sector.

Plus, Laura Muncey, Senior Lecturer in Economics at Anglia Ruskin University, provides a broader economic context to the discussion, exploring how external factors such as inflation and global events may be influencing Christmas trading in Essex.

Recorded November 2023

Guest speakers:

• Sara Tupper, Chelmsford BID Manager chelmsfordforyou.co.uk/chelmsford-bid
• Helen Wood, Manager at Waterstones, Colchester waterstones.com
• Laura Muncey, Senior Lecturer in Economics at Anglia Ruskin University aru.ac.uk/people/laura-muncey