A WHITEHAVEN business has reflected on the past twelve months. 

For many, the year has had its ups and downs but Christmas seems to have brought a good stream of custom to some of the stores in town. 

Gerard Richardson, who owns a small, independent, wine and coffee merchant in town centre, said: "Like most towns in the UK business on Whitehaven's high street has been hit and miss. 

"It could be much better, but that said people in this town always support the high street at Christmas and it's one of the things we do like about it. 

"December has been very good across the board, I don't think there'll be many losers in terms of that this Christmas. 

"The high street remains vulnerable to be perfectly honest and there were periods through the year when ourselves and other businesses felt the weaknesses and gaps. 

"When Wilko's closed there was a short period where trade fell through. 

"Christmas time has recovered but I think that the message we need to get across to people is that the high street is vulnerable. 

"The problems with the high streets across the country is a national issue, but this is our high street and what I'd like to get people to understand is the solution to the problems on the high street is with us. 

"All we need people who value the high street on occasions like Christmas, Mother's Day, and birthdays is to remember to continue their support throughout the year. 

"The custom we get at those types of year is tremendous and we'd like to see that support continued throughout the year. 

"Because businesses can't survive on just five or six special weeks a year, we do need more than that. 

"We don't know what to expect in the coming year but we're starting to get a lot of traction now with the TEG markets and town council markets. 

"For the first year or so they were hit and miss but they are becoming more successful, people are buying goods and stallholders are queueing up to get space."