Festive store plans expansion

OCEAN Grove could soon have a timely boost to its Christmas cheer, with a locally owned festive shop applying to extend its opening hours for the coming season.

Charlie’s Christmas Factory is gearing up for another summer selling Christmas products direct to customers on the Bellarine and hopes to extend trading.

The shop sells items including Christmas trees, lighting, and ornaments from October to January each year at Sykes Place, in an industrial area of Ocean Grove’s north.

Under the new proposal, the Christmas shop would open Monday to Wednesday to become a seven-day-a-week shop, and have extended opening hours for its existing days of Thursday to Sunday.

Owners indicated the extension would have limited impact on the co-located retail merchandising business Clockwork Group that would continue at the warehouse site.

“The extended hours are in response to customer feedback and would predominantly be required during our peak December trade,” planning documents said.

“We strongly believe that the extended operating hours of our Christmas shop will not negatively impact the area, but will in fact enhance the area by providing more flexible access to our customers in Ocean Grove and the Bellarine Peninsula.”

The plans are on exhibition until September 21.