Shop owners in Forres have got their heads together to offer a single late night shopping experience in the town before Christmas. And there’ll be entertainment too!
Next Thursday, 18 December, the following town centre outlets will all be open till 8pm, offering shoppers a chance to browse if they are unable to in the daytime.
Forres and District Pipe Band has kindly agreed to play outside the Tolbooth from 6:30pm. Let’s give them, and the shops, our support:
- Babalu (also open Sundays till Christmas 11am–3pm)
- Uly & Ro
- Highland Army Surplus
- The Pantry (also open Sunday 21 December 10am-2pm)
- The Old Market Refillery, Tolbooth Street
- Cobbett & Fenning, Tolbooth Street
- Under the Leaves
- Roseberry Studios (also open Sundays till Christmas 12–3pm)
- LØRE Gallery (with non-alcoholic mulled wine)
- The Old Bank Whisky Shop (Murray McDavid)
- Macbeth’s, Tolbooth Street
- Forres Crafters, in the Tolbooth
- Mackenzie of Forres
- Chest Heart and Stroke
- Generations Clothing
- Pearl’s Pet Care, Tolbooth Street
These local shops offer a range of unique and special gifts. Why not challenge yourself to see how much you can tick off your shopping list by buying locally.
Prompted by Bianca Judd and Dortë McPhun, seven shop owners initially agreed that a single date was a good idea so that everyone could make time to shop and have a choice of outlets open late. Since announcing it, more have come on board to stay open, with 16 shops now opening till late.
Bianca, from Uly & Ro, said: “We wanted to do something outside normal opening hours, to get the Christmas spirit going, and we’ll see how it goes.”
Kristin Rietsch, owner of The Pantry, added: “Forres has all these lovely shops and they’re all open and close at the same time. A number of people have said ‘you’re only open when I’m at work’, or ‘I’m busy with the kids on Saturday’. So I thought let’s do it.”
If you have a late opening business and it’s not listed here, please email business@forreslocal.com.
