FESTIVE shoppers have left Teignbridge tills ringing this year with an upturn in trade, while hoteliers have fared even better with a bumper Christmas season.

Late-night shopping, appearances by Santa and street entertainment have helped to boost trade in towns across the district.

And despite a late start, traders are expecting to exceed last year's figures.

In Ashburton, business improved on last year with late night entertainment proving popular.

Chris Monnington, president of Ashburton Chamber of Trade, and proprietor of J Searle, said: 'The last couple of days were relatively quiet, but the middle of the month was very busy.

'Santa and his grotto was popular with the children and entertainments were what we wanted to attract people into the town.'

Slow trade last year was blamed on the announced closure of Seale- Hayne College, Newton Abbot, and pre-Christmas redundancies at Centrax and Heathfield bakery Abbey Vale, but this year, consumer confidence seemed to return.

Stella Watson, of the Newton Abbot Chamber of Trade and proprietor of the Mitre bookshop, said: 'Christmas started much later than usual, but on the whole certainly a better festive period than last year.

'The two to three weeks before Christmas were very very busy, the Victorian evening was successful and the last late night evening was good – it is looking OK.'

Hardback non-fiction were best sellers this year, with Lynne Truss' punctuation bible Eats, Shoots and Leaves ahead in the game.

At department store Austins, of Newton Abbot, shoppers left it to the last three days to snap up gifts, a surge that has led to an increase on last year's sales.

Director Trevor Boobyer said: 'The last few days were exceptionally busy – it was late, but that seems to have been the trend all over the country.'

Maureen Searle, manager of Marks & Spencer, Newton Abbot, said: 'Christmas was late to start, but during the days just before Christmas it went mad. There were lots of gentlemen in on Christmas Eve buying gifts of ladies lingerie.'

'The victorian evening was successful but the first late night evening was a bit quiet.'

'Post Christmas sales have seen us way ahead of our estimates and the first saturday was really good,' she said.

The Holne Chase Hotel are having a busy December that is set to continue into the New Year with visitors attracted to the moorland landscape and cosy log fires.

Proprietor Phillipa Hughes said: 'It is not usual to get so busy earlier on in the year as we have this year, usually it is last minute bookings.'

'This is the first year that we have reached pre-foot and mouth levels but there are many businesses on the moor that haven't made it.'

'It has been hard work because you have to re-invent yourself every year.'

The Edgemoor at Bovey Tracey has reported 'incredibly good' bookings in the restaurant and in accommodation at the 16 rooms.

Now staff are taking a rewarding break until the hotel re-opens in January.

The Dolphin Inn hotel has been 'hectic' over the Christmas break

and function facilities have been fully booked since the summer. Proprietor Robert Phillips said: 'Immediately after foot and mouth we had our best year in 15 years and this year has been even better.'