by Dave Burke and Marise Jeyarajah

dave.burke@essnmedia.co.uk

Temperatures may have soared to 30 degrees on Wednesday but that hasn't stopped some people getting ready for Christmas.

A Whitgift Centre card shop and a town centre hotel are already preparing for the festive season.

The Card Factory this week launched its Christmas merchandise - and the sweltering weather hasn't stopped shoppers snapping up wrapping paper and greetings cards.

Assistant manager Kareena Modashia said: "They're selling really, really well.

"People have started early this year, we've had a few good comments from people.

"By December a lot of our cards had sold out last year, so I think this year people know they need to start early."

Whitgift Centre manager Andrew Bauer admitted he was surprised to see a Christmas display going up already.

But he added that with families tightening their belts this year, spreading the cost of Christmas could be a good idea.

He said: "I've seen some Christmas decorations go up just before Halloween, I'd say the back end of October is the earliest I've known to date.

"But in these times, if you plan your way into Christmas by buying a little bit at a time rather than everything at the end, it might make life easier, I can understand that."

Last year the Advertiser told how Croydon Park Hotel had put a Christmas tree up in its foyer in August to kick-start its Yuletide bookings.

This year staff have stopped short of doing that, but there is instead a Santa Claus display which has been attracting a few raised eyebrows.

Michaela Schneider, the hotel's conference booking manager, said: "We haven't put up the tree, but we have put up a display with Santa Claus.

"People have noticed it, and we have had a few bookings.

"I think we should have put it up earlier, because we had a few enquiries at the start of the year.

"If people know they want to go somewhere special they know they have to get in early."

But not all shoppers were convinced by signs of Christmas being on the horizon before the end of August.

Susan Lynch, 46, from East Croydon said: "All I can say is it is August!

"It's way too early - it's mad."