Acton’s traders got especially creative recently for a best dressed shop window Christmas competition. The stores were lit up by colourful festive decorations and fairy lights and were buzzing with the anticipation of finding out who would win.

A member of the council’s regeneration team was helped to draw up a short-list of potential winners by Reverend Dean Ayres of St Mary’s Church in the town. The winner was then chosen on the day of the Acton Christmas Fair (10 December) by the mayor of Ealing, Councillor Dr Patricia Walker.

To enter the competition, each business had to be independent rather than a chain store.

Councillor Walker viewed all the shortlisted shop fronts and decided on the winner based on five criteria – overall impression/visual impact, creativity/ideas, artistic merit, inventive use of materials and effort. She then announced the result during the Christmas fair at The Mount/King Street.

The Village Trading Store on Churchfield Road was eventually chosen to be awarded the gold winner certificate. Laura Forsyth, its owner, was delighted.

She said “What a surprise it was when I found we had won Best Dressed Christmas Window competition. I sing in the local Sing Gospel choir, so when the announcement was made by the Mayor at the Christmas fair outside St Mary’s Church, I had already left to go back and work in the shop. After seven years of owning The Village Trading Store in Churchfield Road, it was such a great way to celebrate. I was so very surprised. I was not expecting the award.”

The competition was put together by a partnership of Acton Business Meet up, Ealing Council, I Love Churchfield Road and St Mary’s Church. It was part of an Illuminate Acton project for the seasonal period and, by decorating their windows with a festive theme, local shops and businesses contributed to the Christmas atmosphere in Acton for the fair.