Today's is the final Weekly Update of what has been frankly, a quite remarkable year.

Remarkable both for all the wrong reasons and remarkable also for the level of success which it appears many of our resourceful and resilient dealers have steered their businesses to over these past 12 months.

We know our readers won't be resting on their laurels though and will have a keen eye on the first quarter of next year. We've been hearing anecdotally that some dealers have been upping their winter stocking orders above the levels that they would usually choose to - both on wholegoods and parts.

Anticipating further logistical problems caused by both Covid and Brexit, some businesses we've heard from are telling us they are doing their best to head-off and mitigate further delays by stocking up now.

Is this something which sounds familiar to your dealership too? Have you been stockpiling ahead of Q1? Let us know in the comments below.

A well-earned break

Anyway, regardless of what might lie ahead,  I hope plenty of you are in a position to begin winding down for a well-earned break. Due to the next two Fridays being Christmas Day and New Year's Day, we'll now be back in your inbox on Friday January 8th. Between now and then though, the first issue of the magazine for 2021 should be dropping onto your doormat, for your fix of Service Dealer!

A cracking issue to kick off the new year, we hear from our dealer panel on what the year might hold in store for them, from a family dealership who've adapted and thrived, from larger dealerships who have chosen to employ a dedicated marketing manager and from a major manufacturer who tells us how they've had to change their way of working this past year.

The mag will also welcome a new dealer diarist for the year. Chris Gibson of GGM Groundscare in Colne, Lancashire has kindly agreed to contribute a column each issue. Chris will be keeping us updated how his progressive, professional groundscare dealership navigates the 12 months ahead. I thank Chris for his commitment and I know the magazine will benefit from his words of wisdom.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Pete McArthur of Strathbogie Forest & Garden for so wonderfully keeping us informed with his diary during the course of this year. He has provided a fascinating insight into the running of an independent dealership under the strange circumstances thrown up by 2020. Thanks ever so Pete - it has been very much appreciated.

Whilst I'm doing some quick shout-outs, I should also like to thank all the other dealers who have contributed towards Service Dealer this year. Dealers who have contacted us with information about their businesses, dealers who have given their time over to interviews and indeed those who have been so very generous in joining us on our video conference calls throughout the year. Without these discussions we would not have been able to gain such an accurate impression of what's going on out there in the network.

By the same token, I'd like to also extend our tremendous gratitude to all the representatives of manufacturers, suppliers, business service providers and trade associations who have also joined us virtually throughout the year. These sessions have been open, frank and incredibly helpful, allowing us to pass on information to our readership on how key companies in our industry have been faring.

Thanks of course also to you our loyal dealer readers and all our commercial partners - both of whom couldn't be more vital to Service Dealer's continued success.

And finally before they start up the band and get out the big hook on a pole, sincere thanks to the editorial team of Martin, Laurence and Adam, the continued support of founder Chris Biddle and massive thanks to Duncan and his amazing team at TAP (with a particular fist-bump to the incredible Nikki!).

Charity Christmas game

To sign off for the year, I'll leave you with what's become a bit of a tradition in our final Update, an online prize game.

The clever computer people at TAP have come up with another fiendish challenge, which this year will also earn money for charity whilst you're timewasting! Complete the game with more than 150 points and TAP will donate £5.00 to Farms For City Children on your behalf. As Farms For City Children was founded by Sir Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare, all successful entrants will be entered into a draw to win a Michael Morpurgo book, signed by the man himself!

Click above to play!

Have a go today and help us get to our maximum target total of £500. The winner will be picked and announced on Twitter on 08/01/21.

Good luck, Merry Christmas, stay safe and cheers!

Steve