Image
Shopping locally has wide-ranging benefits, from keeping a local person in employment and money circulating in the local economy, to creating a unique identity for a place and even helping the environment by reducing transport emissions.
You could buy locally produced handmade crafts in a gift shop, weigh out your own oats in a zero waste shop, pick up a bag of truffles made by the chocolatier that morning, or find fresh produce direct from a local farm.
These small businesses really need our help right now to survive and thrive in a post-pandemic world.
Lockdown measures over the past year have changed our shopping habits and smaller shops and outlets might be seeing fewer people through their doors.
To celebrate and promote these one-of-a-kind businesses, Independents’ Day takes place on Sunday 4 July.
As a shopper, Independents’ Day is a chance to show some love to the independent retailers you value most.
You can also share this love on your social media sites by tagging #indiedayUK
If the shop isn’t open on Sundays, see if they have an online presence, either through their own website or social media, or call into see them when they are open.
They’ll really appreciate your businesses on Independents’ Day and beyond.
Earn reward points for shopping locally
Get rewarded for spending in your local town centre with a new virtual smartphone guide – and be in with the chance of winning £100 to spend at your favourite independent business.
This year Independents’ Day is sponsored by Local Rewards, a virtual high street guide where you’ll earn points for shopping locally which can then be exchanged with other participating traders.
There’s also a prize draw running on the site until Tuesday 6 July, with £100 of shopping vouchers up for grabs.
Local Rewards, developed by Maybe Technology, includes towns in North Somerset.
It’s really easy to set up and you just use your existing credit or debit cards.
Every purchase reveals a live visual guide to other nearby retailers, with cross-promotion between participating businesses.
All content is sourced from social media and connected via Google maps.
Registration is free and you’ll get 100 points for signing up.
Are you a local business owner?
Register on the Local Rewards virtual guide to help drive footfall to your business.
If you run your own independent shop, café, restaurant or business you can use the new virtual guide to connect with shoppers when they’re nearby, let them know what loyalty offers you’re promoting and encourage them to shop with you.
Search for Weston, Clevedon, Portishead or Nailsea on the website and you’ll be able to sign up as a business.
More information is available on the InNorthSomerset website.