GOUROCK traders are hoping to see the town buzzing again this Christmas as they plan a repeat of a highly successful traders’ weekend that raised £1,000 for charities.

The community council and traders got together to organise an event that attracted hundreds of people to the town centre at a time when they might otherwise have gone elsewhere to do their festive shopping.

Community council secretary Lynne Quinn said they had 400 children visiting Santa’s grotto – the Kempock Gardens’ information booth converted into a ‘log cabin’ – and other attractions.

One of the most popular events was an ‘elf treasure hunt’, which involved small cards featuring an elf placed in 52 shop windows.

And the three-year-old winner of that competition has now been presented with her prize.

Little Eilidh McMillan’s name was drawn out of the hat containing those entrants who correctly matched shop names with the numbers on the cards.

She went along to the Pirate & Bluebelle Gallery to collect her prize of vouchers worth £100 to spend in Gourock. 

Lynne said: “It proved to be a great way of encouraging youngsters and their parents to look in every shop window to try to spot the small elf card.”

Pirate & Bluebelle was one of the shops involved, and its co-owner, Heather McCulloch, was full of praise for the special weekend.

She said: “The town centre was absolutely buzzing. It was a very positive weekend at a time when many people might have gone to Glasgow.”

Lynne says the community council and traders hope to build on the success for this Christmas, and thanked everyone involved last year, including sponsors Argyll Ferries and Golden Casket, St Columba’s High art department for helping to convert the grotto and Port Glasgow’s Riverside Youth Band for providing entertainment.

The band is to receive a share of the £1,000 raised, along with Reach for Autism and Ardgowan Hospice’s Butterfly Project, which helps youngsters going through bereavement.