Southport people are being urged to do all they can to support our local businesses during this year’s Shop Local Week (August 10-16), which starts today.
Shops in Southport town centre and in villages such as Ainsdale, Birkdale, Churchtown, Crossens and High Park have been back open these past few weeks.
It follows a challenging few months when they had to stay shut due to the Coronavirus lockdown.
Now people are being urged to go out and support their local shops.
Southport BID CEO Rachel Fitzgerald said: “We fully get behind this Government campaign and want to encourage both businesses and the public to do the same. Never have our local businesses needed our support more. Many worked tirelessly and creatively throughout lockdown to deliver food and essentials to the community, and they have all worked hard to ensure the town is safe for us.
“We will be sharing updates from some of the exciting businesses that are the heart of our town all week.
“We would love to see local people show the same support by sharing pictures of visits to your favourite shops, or simply posting on social to shout about the businesses you love and think others will too. Please hashtag #southportindies and we will share as many as we can!
“Let’s make this their week and really stand up for our town.”
To help kick off Shop Local Week, here are eight reasons why customers should visit the high street this week:
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Help the high street and support the local economy
Shopping at local businesses pumps money into the local economy, and by spending money in their local shop, restaurant, café or pub, shoppers can do their bit to aid our national recovery across the country.
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Save jobs – and create even more
Supporting our high streets creates jobs in local communities, supporting often young and disadvantaged people to find employment. Helping to grow the number of jobs in our local areas makes for a better place to live and work, which then creates a healthy economy for the community.
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Great deals
People might be surprised to see just how competitive the prices are in your local shops. Independent retailers often reward regular customers, while others often provide great deals that can’t be found in major outlets – meaning people save money as they spend. Consumers can also save money eating out – the Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme is being provided by the Government during August, saving diners up to £10 per head on eat-in meals on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in one of the 73,000 participating businesses.
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A safe way to shop
Businesses across the country have been following guidance and implementing a range of measures to ensure people are safe while they shop, such as customer limits inside the store, plastic partitions at tills and hand sanitizing stations.
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Preserving the heart of the community
A thriving high street is key to boosting the potential of a village or town where people can socialise as well as shop. Local businesses also generate revenue to support council services such as libraries, parks and roads that benefit communities across the UK.
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Spoilt for choice
Small and local businesses often stock items which are made locally and aren’t available elsewhere else, providing a great range of choice and unique products that bring much-needed originality and variety into communities – including rare finds and items that aren’t mass produced.
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A better shopping experience
Small businesses are often run by people who live nearby. As the UK continues to recover from the pandemic, the experience of buying locally from a friendly face offers a dose of normality that many people may have missed.
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Help the environment
Local shops often source their goods locally, helping to reduce their carbon footprint. When shopping local, people are also more likely to walk or cycle to get there – doing their bit to reduce air pollution, reduce traffic and improve the quality of the nation’s high streets.
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