The Christmas countdown is underway 💫
📖 Article published 12 November 2025
The Christmas countdown is underway 💫
For Sheffield city centre retailers, that means the busiest, most tiring and crucial sales time of the year is looming.
We spoke to business owners and leaders about what it takes behind the scenes to serve Sheffield shoppers each festive season.
And they also revealed some of their special events and new products for this December.
🛍️ The big retailer | Atkinsons, The Moor
💍 The historic retailer | Morris Bywater, Pinstone Street
🏺 The new retailer | Earth, Paper, Fibre, Leah’s Yard
🍺The independent retailer | Beer Central, The Moor Market
The big retailer 🛍️ Atkinsons, The Moor
‘Christmas for us is a special occasion,’ said Ben Kerry, the manager of Atkinsons Sheffield.
The city’s family-owned department store on The Moor has 150 years of experience to draw on when it comes to the festive season.
Behind the scenes, buyers start scouting out products for next Christmas in January. Extra staff are hired for the season, and often stay on.
And the Cafe Massarellas restaurant serves up hundreds of Christmas roast dinners (turkey and all the trimmings for £14).
Ben added: “Christmas is really important for sales, but it’s even more important to make it feel special for our customers by putting on experiences.
“We are a retailer, but we want people to visit the store because of what we’ve got to offer. That might be Christmas dinner in our restaurant or our singing reindeer and penguins, the Crooners, and looking at all the trimmings in store
“We’ve had people ringing up to book their Christmas meals for the last six or seven weeks.”
Twinkling lights, bejewelled decorations and trees of all sizes are now on display inside Atkinsons.
The children’s department is packed with gifts, from Lego and Playmobil sets to classic wooden toys.
There are luxury fragrances (think Ralph Lauren and Yves St Laurent) downstairs and Barbour or French Connection fashion upstairs.
The team has also just unwrapped a new confectionery department near the main store entrance off The Moor. It is stocked with treats from premium brands, including Sheffield’s Bullion Chocolate, Yorkshire Popcorn and Monty Bojangles. There are chocolate snowmen, Bakewell pudding truffles, and heaps of traditional sweets.
Ben added: “The confectionery department is doing really well. It’s perfect for Christmas shoppers. I think these days people are more organised about Christmas because of affordability, and because Black Friday is in the marketing calendar.
“We have our Black Friday starting on 25th November with exclusive offers, but we do still get some last minute shoppers doing it all on Christmas Eve.”
Atkinsons has secure car parking. Shoppers squeezing in a visit during their lunch break can also enjoy mince pies and turkey wraps at the restaurants throughout December.
The historic retailer 💍 Morris Bywater, Pinstone Street
For half a century now, one Sheffield jeweller has been providing city shoppers with stunning Christmas gifts. The family business on Pinstone Street was founded in 1975 by Morris Bywater.
His daughters and grandsons followed in his footsteps. Together they weathered decades of change, including multiple store moves around the city centre.
The shop specialises in repairs and remodelling as well as creating bespoke jewellery, with loyal customers returning year after year.
Daughter Andrea, who has worked for the business all her life, said watches and earrings were always popular gifts.
She added: “People still get engaged around Christmas time, so we sell a lot of engagement rings around then and the New Year.
“Things do change depending on the economy. A couple of years ago, we were selling a lot of smaller pieces because people were spending on other things.
“The city has changed, it’s more multicultural and there are fewer shops. But there’s a lot on offer in terms of entertainment and places to eat.
“The Christmas market also brings a lot of people into the city. Last year was the first in a long time where there was a real buzz at closing time.”
Morris worked at the jeweller’s three days a week until shortly before his death, aged 85, in May.
His grandsons, Michael and Adam, who were trained by him, now work in the workshop.
Many customers choose to have jewellery they inherited adapted as Christmas gifts - but this specialist work is usually already underway.
Andrea added: “We can do some last-minute jobs but we do have to draw a line around the first week of December. We have a lot of loyal clientele, young and old, who come in month after month for repair work.
“We have a small team so everyone really is like a family.
“This will be the first Christmas in 50 years that dad is not a part of it - but I am sure he’s having a party up there.”
Morris Bywater will open on Sundays from 11am until 4pm on 7th, 14th and 21st December.
The new retailer 🏺 Earth, Paper, Fibre, Leah’s Yard
Looking around the stunning ceramics studio Earth, Paper, Fibre, it’s hard to believe it opened just a few weeks ago.
The studio and shop - showcasing timeless hand-made porcelain jewellery and whimsical gifts - is the brainchild of Mel MacDonald.
A former greetings card designer, she taught herself to make jewellery during the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 after losing her job. Her products soon began to fly, and she used her background in ceramics to add more.
She took the leap with a physical store in retail destination Leah’s Yard this September.
Mel said: “It’s been really good so far - everyone has been lovely and welcoming. Sheffield is a great city in terms of supporting independents; it has exceeded my expectations!
“When we have full workshops where nobody knows each other, but they are just chatting away, it’s brilliant.”
Mel has lined up a packed calendar of workshops for December.
One is a dreamy collaboration with Barks Wine across the cobbles of Leah’s Yard. Participants can enjoy wine tasting while making a ceramic snack plate on 20th December. (For details click here).
For Christmas gifting, her new petal earrings with 24-carat gold are expected to be popular.
Personalised paw-print ceramics - popular with dog owners who bring their pets in to immortalise their print - are also a big hit.
Miniature ceramic mice, a quirky addition for cheeseboards, are already a best-seller and an ideal stocking filler.
Mel added: “I am nervous but excited for Christmas. I think it will be great getting to know lots of new people. There are going to be good vibes.”
Earth Paper Fibre will be open for late-night shopping at Leah’s Yard, Cambridge Street, on Thursday, 18 December, and until 6pm on Christmas Eve.
The independent retailer 🍺 Beer Central, The Moor Market
When shoppers at The Moor Market are picking up their Christmas turkey and vegetables, there’s a final stop they like to make.
It’s Beer Central, near the entrance to the market, where people collect beer gifts and essential drinks for their seasonal celebrations.
Owner Megan Lindhop said: “People come into the market for their meat and veg, then on the way out they pop in and end up buying a few gifts. One of our most popular products at Christmas is the Belgian Blue minikegs. People go crazy for them.
“December is a really tight-knit operation because we’re having to continually restock. It is definitely our busiest time of the year. The market is absolutely heaving and we’ve got really great Christmas beers and gifts.”
Megan took over Beer Central, which was the first craft beer shop she ever visited, 14 months ago.
She was running a beer shop turned bar in Scotland, having moved there from Sheffield, when she spotted the opportunity back home.
This December, Beer Central is also running a pop-up stand opposite the market’s butchers, selling independently selected wine, beer, and spirits.
Megan and her team will be on hand to offer advice, should people need guidance on what to buy for the beer connoisseurs in their lives.
And there’s plenty of choices on offer, from brown ale fermented with Canadian maple syrup by Tempest Brewing Co to Abbeydale Brewery’s Pine Range pale ale.
Megan added: “We decided to do the pop-up because the nearest place to here that sells independent wine is up at Leah’s Yard, so it seemed like an opportunity. We’re always there for people if they need help choosing.
“They can know everything about beer or nothing, we’ll make sure they get the right gift.”
For a guaranteed hit gift, Megan recommended their Bradfield Brewery selection of three beers in a gift box.
She added: “They are local, they are good beers and they are £10.95.”