Winchester Green Party is stepping up its campaign to stop dozens of local shops wasting heat and energy by keeping their doors open.

The Greens have written to dozens of retailers asking them to keep doors closed.

Even in the recent freezing weather many shops keep their doors open , turn the heating up to try to tempt in customers.

But Alison Craig, Greens spokesman, branded the practice as “more and more grotesque when it is so cold.

She added: 'It is barmy at a time when we need to bring down climate change emissions. It's a myth that a shop with open doors draws in more customers than one with closed doors. A recent study has proved that shops which close their doors not only save hundreds of pounds a year in heating costs but also do better business.”

She went on: 'Winchester has one of the worst carbon footprints in the country, and our District's emissions are the highest in Hampshire. We won't hit reduction targets unless every sector 'does its bit', including retail.”

The Greens have written to the national headquarters of: Monsoon Accessorize, Blacks Leisure Group, The Body Shop; Card Factory, The Carphone Warehouse, Cath Kidston, Clarks International, Clinton Cards, Early Learning Centre, The Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Ernest Jones, Fat Face, Game, Greggs, HMV, Hobbs, Holland & Barrett Retail, Jack Wills, Jessops, Jigsaw Women's Clothing, Joules Clothing, L.K. Bennett, Lloyds TSB, Montezuma's Chocolates, Next, Nokia, Past Times, Pasty Presto, Phase Eight, Reeve The Baker, River Island, Russell & Bromley, Shoon, Superdrug, Thorntons, Timpson, Waterstones, West Cornwall Pasty Company, Whittard of Chelsea.

They have also written to the following local shops: All That Glitters, Bellis Jewellery, Urban Nature, and Zoo Jewellery.