Everyone who visited Sutton on Sea, on the evening of the 10th December said, “the best yet,” that was also the verdict of the shopkeepers, and the Mayor, on Sutton on Sea’s late night shopping.

The shopkeepers who were all dressed in Victorian costumes reported record sales, and all the charity stalls completely sold out within the two hours. The high street which was closed to traffic, thronged with several hundred people.

Santa was kept busy as he handed out toys to all the children who visited him in his festively decorated caravan.
46lbs of chestnuts and several gallons of mulled wine were consumed free of charge during the evening.

The Salvation Army entertained a packed Bacchus Hotel with their playing of carols.

A collection made during the singing of the carols raised £84.
The Christmas cake raffle raised £137 and was won by someone from Maltby Le Marsh.

On the evening of the 16th and 17th Santa’s caravan was taken around the streets of Sutton on Sea and Sandilands, where a further £227 was raised.
The total collected for the two charities, St. Barnabus and St. Andrews Hospices is not yet known, but the final total will be announced in the local press, and on this site as soon as possible.

The Old Fossils would like to formally thank Jane North of Bennet’s the butchers for her donation of the 17ft Christmas tree, which stands on the roundabout at the top end of the high street. Also Robert Watson, and Steve Wood for collecting and erecting the tree. Plus a very big thank you to Richard Arnold who donated all the toys that were handed out to the children by Santa Claus, to Richard Borthwick who loaned us the Santa Claus outfits, and to anyone else who helped to make the late night shopping the success that it was.

>>>> See photographs of what happened.

The Old Fossils will be arranging this event next year on Friday 9th December 2005.