Bournemouth town centre on Christmas Eve 2023

It has been no different for Bournemouth town centre, where shoppers have been pounding the pavements to get those final gifts in.

Many arrived early to make the most of the restricted Sunday hours, and it didn't take long for them to gather their bundles of shopping bags. 

Pandora seemed a particularly popular choice for Christmas gifts – so much so that customers had to queue to get in.

Shoppers queuing to get into Pandora (Image: NQ)

But with plenty of festive events still being hosted in the town, there was more than just last-minute shopping to be done.

Residents and visitors could be seen trailing through Christmas Tree Wonderland, browsing the Christmas markets, and enjoying drinks in the Alpine Bar.

They seemed to be having a great time – even if the weather was chilly and windy.

Amanda Foster, a Bournemouth resident, had popped into town for some Christmas shopping, having worked right up until Christmas Eve.

She told the Daily Echo: “I’m very nearly there with the shopping. The shops are not as busy as I thought they would be though, so I’m managing to get stuff done.

Shoppers in Bournemouth (Image: NQ)

“The square is very busy though - it’s feeling very festive down there.”

John Snelling was another resident enjoying the yuletide atmosphere in the Christmas markets.

He said: “I wouldn’t come here for my shopping. Castlepoint is the better option, I think.

“But, it’s quite lively here which is nice. There were a few of us that came here for the bar last year, and that was good, so we thought we’d do it again this year.”

Eve, from Poole, added: "I'm just out in Bournemouth with the family today.

"We've all felt really Christmassy this year, and we've wanted to come out and do things rather than just spend it at home like we normally do."