Douglas traders are being urged to release their inner window dresser and showcase their Christmas creativity by entering Douglas Borough Council’s ‘Best-Dressed Business’ competition. The competition is inviting Douglas businesses to dress their front windows with a Christmas theme. A prize of ?200 and a trophy will be awarded to the winning display, with second and third places attracting prizes of ?100 and ?50 respectively. The competition has been organised by the Council’s community events sub-committee whose chairman, Councillor David Christian, said: ‘In these challenging trading times the Council is keen to demonstrate its support for local businesses, especially during the all-important run-up to Christmas. The Best-Dressed Window competition is part of the Council’s concerted efforts to create a festive atmosphere, introduce some added visual impact to the streetscape and encourage greater numbers of people into the town over the Christmas period to shop locally. ‘The economic downturn demands that the Council, as with all organisations and households, reviews and prioritises its spending. Prudent budgeting, however, together with partnering with the private sector on a number of community initiatives, has allowed us to inject some added Christmas spirit into the town in recent years, not least through investing in new Christmas decorative lighting which now extends along the regenerated North Quay. This, combined with the Best-Dressed Window competition and our customary spectacular Christmas lights switch-on ceremony, will ensure that Douglas is the place to be this Christmas.’ Entrants in the Best-Dressed Window competition must have their displays completed by Thursday November 24, to coincide with the Council’s Christmas lights switch-on ceremony taking place that evening, after which judging will be conducted anonymously on an undisclosed date. Entry forms are available from Douglas Town Hall or online at www.douglas.gov.im and must be submitted to the Town Hall by Friday, November 18, 2011. For further details contact Danielle Matthews, 696300 or email dmatthews@douglas.gov.im ENDS