SHOPS already battling for survival are facing a gloomy Christmas, with families apparently choosing to go elsewhere to do their festive shopping.

Despite the fact Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised Britain would fight its way out of recession, the reality on the local high street is looking increasingly dismal.

A community leader is urging people to buy their Christmas produce locally or risk losing their shops forever.

Les Drussel, head of Ruislip Manor Chamber of Commerce, said: "It has been very quiet. All the shops are complaining of a lack of customers.

"It is a big concern; people need to shop locally if their shops are to survive.

"We need our local shops. At the same time we need more shops to come in and open up. Certainly in Ruislip Manor there are no big names, like a Boots or Marks and Spencer, to attract people and we do not even have a bank.

"We are always looking for the light at the end of the tunnel but it does not look like it is coming any time soon."

Mr Drussel added: "I was at the Christmas light switch-on in Eastcote at the weekend with the mayor, and shop-keepers were asking us to get people to come and buy some goods because they needed the trade so desperately."

This week the area suffered another blow as off-licences owned by First Quench Retailers went bust. Four branches of Threshers, Wine Rack and The Local in Ruislip and Eastcote are to close.

Mr Drussel said one of the main reasons for people not doing their Christmas shopping in local stores is the increasing dominance of supermarkets, such as Tesco and Sainsbury's.

"The Tesco here takes all the trade from the little stores," he said. "We have some fabulous bakers and grocers, which I would encourage people to use instead.

"If people do not use the smaller stores it is impossible for them to compete.

"When Budgens was around things were better, but when Tesco came in it started losing £30,000 a week and had to close."

Mr Drussel organised a fun day to attract people to Ruislip Manor for the Christmas lights switch-on and has been working with other areas to promote local chambers of commerce.

* Is your store facing a gloomy Christmas or has trade picked up? Share your story by emailing editorial uxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk.