Wishing you a Love Local Christmas

Christmas is coming, and special times are ahead

Across our lovely market towns and countryside, there are many wonderful independent shops, full of food and gifts to help make Christmas extra special.

Cllr Martin Booth said:

“I totally recommend local shopping because you can find all kinds of products that will make Christmas feel extra special. It’s so important to shop locally because every single pound is really welcomed by local business owners, and it all helps to support local jobs.”

Cllr Lisa Overton-Neal said:

“I always enjoy shopping locally and meeting the business owners who put their heart and soul into creating special places for their customers. It’s so important to shop locally because every time people spend even a few pounds, it makes a big difference to local business owners, and it all helps to support local jobs.”

How to create your Love Local Christmas

Step 1. Hunt down the perfect tree Let’s head to our local growers and garden centres and choose a Christmas tree! And if it’s been grown locally, you’ve cut down sled miles too.

Step 2. Make it look cosy and festive Deck your halls, living rooms, kitchens and gardens with amazing decorations and lights which you can find in local interiors shops, garden centres and hardware stores nearby.

Step 3. Find and buy presents and stocking fillers All our high streets, our local independents and farm shops are crammed with wonderful and problem-solving inspiration - even for that tricky relative who’s already got everything.

Step 4. Food, glorious food Pop into the butcher, the baker, the grocer, the deli, the sweet shop, the farm shop and, finally, the yule log maker. And suddenly, Christmas dinner, Boxing Day lunch and endless treats will be sorted, just like that!

As you switch on your Christmas lights, enjoy that extra glow of satisfaction that comes from shopping locally as best as you can.

Thank you for being a Love Local hero and Merry Christmas!

Extra free hour Saturday parking in South Norfolk 29 November – 20 December

Enjoy an extra free parking hour on the four Saturdays before Christmas! What’s not to love? We save you money which we really hope you’ll choose to spend on a fun stocking filler or a treat from an independent shop.

In car parks in Diss, Loddon and Wymondham, starting Saturday 29 November to Saturday 20 December. (In Harleston, parking is free). For cash or card payments only – just get your free hour or Pay & Display ticket and pop it on your dashboard and we add an extra hour to the time when we check. Sorry, we can’t do this offer with app payments.

Weekday parking is free from 4pm, Monday to Friday from 1 December.