Decorations, merchandise and Christmas menus have started springing up in some supermarkets, bars and restaurants – despite the festive season being more than three months away.

Just last week an artificial tree complete with tinsel and baubles appeared at the entrance to Debenhams in Commercial Road, Portsmouth, to attract seasonal staff.

Bars like the Slug and Lettuce and Ha! Ha! at Gunwharf Quays have started taking bookings for the Christmas period.

Ha! Ha! manager Steven Allen has even put up a Christmas tree to promote its festive bookings.

'It feels like Christmas is coming earlier every year but the company wants to maximise sales and in this trade we have got to get in early to keep up with everybody else,' he said.

'In a few years we'll probably find we don't take our Christmas decorations down from one year to the next!'

Slug and Lettuce assistant manager Andy Phillips added: 'It's a good opportunity for people to book their Christmas parties early because it can get extremely busy around the Christmas period.

'I'm quite a traditionalist and I don't see it as a bad thing.'

Maureen Frost, chief executive of the Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes the traditional Christmas shopping peak is a thing of the past.

She said: 'It's not unusual to see Christmas stock at this time of year. I think putting Christmas decorations up now is a bit premature but people have to plan and budget for Christmas so I think it's a good thing to have menus and stock out now.

'It's all about planning and it helps businesses with their cash flow so they can put money aside, the same way as individuals.

'I think it's helpful if people can spread their spending across the three or four months leading up to Christmas rather than having to find the money all at once.'