The Inksmiths, located on Southgate in Chichester, has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Chichester BID Christmas Window Competition – an impressive achievement in their very first year entering. The independent tattoo studio took Gold for their imaginative and visually striking window, which brought this year’s “Once Upon a Christmas in Chichester” theme to life with originality, character and beautifully crafted detail.
The Inksmiths created a bold, hand-painted window packed with playful festive illustrations – from a grinning Grinch to quirky seasonal creatures. The vibrant artwork and original tattoo-style characters made their display stand out with colour, creativity and personality, offering a fresh and distinctive take on Christmas storytelling.
A highlight of the annual Christmas in Chichester programme, the window competition celebrates the artistry of local businesses who transform their shopfronts into festive storytelling scenes for residents and visitors to enjoy. This year’s brief invited businesses to explore the magic of classic tales, folklore and winter adventures – from enchanted forests and snow-covered villages to windows that open like the pages of a storybook.
This year’s judging panel was led by acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Nick Sharratt, whose work has delighted generations of young readers. He was joined by Nicola Brown, Partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter, who are principal sponsors of Christmas in Chichester 2025. The panel spent an afternoon visiting each display, awarding points for creativity, presentation and interpretation of the theme.
Nick Sharratt said: “Many congratulations to The Inksmiths for a window that was instantly eye-catching. The hand-painted Grinch and other characters really made it feel alive, full of humour and festive mischief. It was a clever, confident interpretation of the theme, and a brilliant example of local talent bringing Christmas creativity to the city.”
Nicola Brown added: “It was such a pleasure to see the creativity on display across Chichester this year. The Inksmiths’ window is an interesting look at characters from the darker side of Christmas – you could see the imagination and artistic flair straight away. Congratulations to all the wonderful businesses who took part.”
Winter’s Moon on North Street, received Silver for a magical winter wonderland created from the pages of storybooks, featuring much-loved characters nestled amongst snow scenes and sparkling details.
Open Design Studio in Northgate, was awarded Bronze for a charming display inspired by the traditional tale ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, with a warm, nostalgic composition that captured the anticipation and magic of Christmas Eve.
The winning business will receive four tickets to Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of A Boy Called Christmas on Monday 15 December – a wonderful way to celebrate the season and a fitting tribute to this year’s storytelling theme.
Natasha McCleod, CEO of Chichester BID, said: “The Once Upon a Christmas theme has brought a real sense of wonder to the streets of Chichester this year. We are delighted to see first-time entrants like The Inksmiths take part and shine so brightly. Their window really captured people’s attention. We’d also like to thank Nick Sharratt and Nicola Brown for judging, and extend our appreciation to Mayo Wynne Baxter as principal sponsors of Christmas in Chichester 2025.”
Helen Marshall, Chair of Chichester BID commented: “We saw amazing creativity and ingenuity from all who entered this year’s competition – the windows certainly create a fabulous backdrop to Christmas shopping this year. Congratulations to everyone that entered – the standard was so high, so it was a tough decision to pick a winner. However, the judges did agree on a very worthy winner – well done to The Inksmiths. Their window was outstanding and is well worth a trip to check it out.”
The Christmas Window Competition forms part of Chichester BID’s wider festive programme, including markets, family events and seasonal installations throughout December.
All businesses that took part in the window competition:
Open Design Studio – Northgate
Artisan Gallery – North Street
Winter’s Moon – North Street
Brook Taverner – North Street
Hansfords Menswear – South Street
The Inksmiths – Southgate
Clearwell Mobility – Market Ave
Buzby and Blue – The Hornet
Whitbys – Baffins Court
Helping Hands – Little London
The Barn – Little London
Cathedral Wealth Management – East street
St Wilfrid’s Hospice Shop – East Street