INDEPENDENT retailers are experiencing a last-minute rush as people’s online orders fail to make it through the snow.

Malcolm Stone, owner of Music Mania, in Clacton High Street, said they had seen a busier than normal last-minute boom as people hurry to replace delayed Christmas orders.

“We’ve seen a number of people come in this week because their web order hasn’t arrived and they need to get a CD,” said Mr Stone.

“They ask us if we stock it, and we have had it here all of the time.

“I just wish people thought of us first. I much prefer to browse through a shop than to buy online, and if you buy online, you always worry if it won’t turn up and it’s a lot harder to return goods.

“People have left it to the last minute as usual, and we will get people in here at 5pm on Christmas Eve who are still surprised when we have sold out of the more popular CDs.

“The snow a few weeks ago messed things up a bit, it definitely affected us.

“Hopefully, with all the internet problems, people next year will shop locally.”

Mann’s Music, in Colchester, said it had also noticed a burst in business over the past few days which it put down to a variety of factors.

Staff member Chris Lamb said a lot of their business was done with Amazon on the internet but they found the snow had pushed custom up.

“I have noticed it has been busier over the past couple of days and a few people have said they have come in because their orders were not arriving in the bad weather,” he added.

Claire Oakey, of gift shop Frippery, in Sir Isaac’s Walk, said it had been quieter than usual in November but had been busy in the past few days.

“It has got going even later than usual this year but the past couple of days has been very busy. It might well be the snow having kept people away,” she added.