BID Huntingdon / Discover Huntingdon working with Huntingdonshire District Council are encouraging residents and visitors to shop, eat, drink and celebrate locally this Christmas, shining a spotlight on the businesses and people who make Huntingdon’s town centre special.

As the festive season approaches, BID Huntingdon, through its Discover Huntingdon destination brand, is preparing to celebrate the town’s diverse mix of independent retailers, national brands, cafés, restaurants and hospitality, reminding people that every purchase made locally helps support the future of Huntingdon’s High Street.

Christmas is one of the most important trading periods of the year, and with businesses continuing to face increasing operating costs and changing consumer habits, the message from Discover Huntingdon is simple: our businesses are worth celebrating, and our town is worth supporting.

The ‘Discover Christmas in Huntingdonshire’ campaign launched by Huntingdonshire District Council runs from 1 November to 18 December 2026. The district-wide loyalty scheme encourages customers to shop locally across Huntingdon, St Ives, St Neots and Ramsey, collecting stamps from participating businesses for qualifying purchases once the card is completed, hand the card in to the Discover Huntingdon Visitor Centre where they are entered into a prize draw to win a luxury Christmas hamper worth over £200! And better still, we encourage them to start a new card and enter again!

As an extra incentive the first 100 customers who bring their completed cards to the Discover Huntingdon Visitor Centre could claim an extra goody bag supported by Huntingdon businesses!

Throughout November and December, Discover Huntingdon will use its digital platforms, town centre marketing channels to showcase local businesses, highlight their products and encourage residents to discover somewhere new this Christmas.

From family-run independent shops and established High Street names to the cafés, restaurants and venues that bring people together, the campaign will promote some of the amazing businesses that drive Huntingdon’s local economy. Discover Huntingdon is proud to be supporting the initiative locally, helping to promote participating businesses and encouraging shoppers to make the most of the opportunities available in Huntingdon.

Celebrating Our Businesses

Paul Sweeney, Chief Executive Officer of BID Huntingdon, said:

“When we talk about our High Street, we often focus on the challenges it faces, but Christmas gives us a wonderful opportunity to change that conversation and celebrate everything that makes Huntingdon special.

Behind every shopfront is a business, and behind every business are people who work incredibly hard, take risks, employ local people and contribute to the life of our town. These are the businesses that support our community, help give Huntingdon its identity and make our town centre somewhere people want to visit.

Through the Discover Christmas in Huntingdonshire campaign, we want to put those businesses centre stage this Christmas. We want to tell their stories, showcase what they offer and remind people that they don’t always need to travel elsewhere or shop online to find something special. The campaign is a brilliant way of highlighting the need to #shoplocal this Christmas.

A successful town centre isn’t simply about the number of shops it has. It’s about creating a place where people want to spend time, meet friends, enjoy experiences and feel connected to their community.

Our businesses are central to that, and Christmas is the perfect opportunity to celebrate them. If we want a thriving Huntingdon tomorrow, we all have a part to play in supporting it today.”

This Christmas, discover something new, celebrate somewhere local and support the businesses that make Huntingdon a place we all love.

Check out Discover Christmas in Huntingdonshire for a FULL list of participating businesses.