South Tyneside flower shop blooms in competition

Flowers by the Sea, an independent florist, has been crowned the winner of the Whitburn Winter Festival’s ‘Festive Decorated Window Competition’.

Local councillor Tracey Dixon, presented shop owners Helen Simpson and Christine Simpson with a bottle of champagne.

Helen and Christine wowed the judges with their stunningly creative Christmas window displays which featured two distinct windows; one a glittering frozen Arctic scene and the other a stylised traditional English Christmas packed full of festive treats.

Coun Dixon said: “It was a pleasure to present Helen and Christine with their prize. I was delighted to see so many local shops take part in this year’s contest and all of their displays were wonderful.

Helen said: “We decided to do an artic inspired window as a lot of children who come to see our window and we thought they would like the polar bears and penguins. While for the other window we tried to make it more traditional for the older people in the village to enjoy.

“We were really happy when we were told that we had won the festive decorated window competition and we really enjoy having the shop in Whitburn Village.”

Coun Dixon also presented the runners up shops La Belle Amie, who impressed the judges with their bright and colourful ‘Elf on a Shelf’ inspired window, and Riva, which came joint second thanks to its eye-catching festive wreath in the shop window, with a bottle of mulled wine and a certificate.

The judges Reverend Ian Davies, rector of Whitburn Parish Church, and Lorraine Hood the Verger at Whitburn Parish Church, had to choose the best display from 11 local shops’ their themed window dressings.

The ‘Festive Decorated Window Competition’ forms part of the village’s annual Whitburn Winter Festival.