South Essex went Christmas crazy this weekend as shoppers flocked to get festive gifts for their nearest and dearest.
Basildon's Eastgate Centre was packed with bag-laden buyers and Southend has gained such a reputation for Christmas consumption that stall-holders have come from Bavaria to take advantage of long-pockets and europhile patrons.
Anna Raabe, organiser of the German market in Southend town centre and mulled wine make par excellence, said: "More and more people are travelling to Germany to the Christmas markets there.
"We thought we would bring the market to the good people of Southend." The Eastgate Centre was also celebrating a bumper Christmas, with the number of shoppers up a whopping ten per cent on last year.
Published Monday, December 16, 2002
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