THE end of year trade was busy for Portland retailers in the lead up to Christmas with locals and visitors keeping shop staff hard at work.

For family run business Portland Seafoods at the Trawler Wharf on the foreshore, Sunday (the day before Christmas) was the busiest day for the year with many, many people coming through the shop to pick up their Christmas crayfish order, or popping in early to try and get one at the last minute.

Cody Churchill is usually out on one of the family boats catching fish to sell at the shop, but was on land helping out during the busy week.

“We took over in October last year, and the community support has been brilliant, it’s been great having all the locals through,” he said.

“And now we have our fish truck running over to Hamilton and Horsham, that’s going really well.

“They don’t get the seafood inland so much, and we’re unloading straight off the trawler’s and getting up there, so they’re pretty excited to see us.”

While they are selling plenty of fish, prawns and other seafood, the cray is king at Christmas, and pre-orders were up on last year, with a good catch coming in as well.

“There’s nowhere else around really that you can get them fresh cooked, they’re kept live out the back and we’re flat out at the moment cooking them.”  

Admella's Fruit n Veg owner Jane Perkins said they were very busy with hampers for the festive season one of their hot items.

“We did like 150 (hampers) for one client alone, so we've done a lot,” she said.

“The day before Christmas Eve is usually the busiest, but this year Friday was the busiest, and the Saturday, Sunday wasn’t mad like it usually is.”

Admella’s close neighbour The Uppercut Butchers has also been “flat out” said owner Kobe Webster.

This year was the butcher’s first Christmas in the store, but he felt quite organised the whole way through, he said.

As well as in-shop busyness in Portland shops, some busy sending out orders for online shopping.

KnS Precious Products owner Karren Wright said the store had “a few busy days, but it has been quieter than usual.”

“We do have a website online which has been super busy, but in store it has been pretty quiet.”

Also strong in orders was Revival Records, who said it been quite a good year.

Owner Ross Colley said the business ships “a lot” of product and received extensive business from Mount Gambier.

“The local trade has been pretty good to us too,” he said.

“We had an interesting lead up to Christmas in early December which was very good, but I'd have to say October, November, it was a little bit disappointing based on previous years here.”