Shop Local Project
2020 was generally a bad year for small businesses - those in our area and across the UK as a whole, thanks to lockdowns and the loss of retailers in nearby hub towns such as Hexham.
The Parish Council recognised the issues faced by local shops during this time but also saw an opportunity to promote the value of the local shops and businesses in our area once the lockdown restrictions eased.
On the run up to Christmas 2020 we launched a campaign under the tagline "Tis the season to shop local". A5 sized signs were printed & laminated and then handed out around the shops, cafes and bars with the request to put them up in their windows. All shops in the area supported the scheme and displayed the sign!
The branding was carried forward through our social media channels and website giving a unified message both online and in the physical stores.
Christmas 2020 Shop Local Poster
During the launch of the Indoor Market project the Parish Council saw the opportunity to re-launch the shop local campaign to tie in with the market's aim of increasing footfall in the village over the full month, not just the market day itself.
Once again, signs were produced and distributed around the local businesses for them to display in their windows. This time the campaign had a warmer summer colour theme that matched that of the market posters.
Summer 2021 Shop Local Poster
A directory of local shops and businesses has also been produced on the Parish Council Website which has been branded to match the campaign. This page also highlights the key benifits of shopping local vs heading into the city or shopping online.
We have also produced Bellingham Directory posters and placed these in the noticeboards next to the Country Store on Parkside Place and in the Jubilee Field and Hareshaw Linn Car Parks.
Going forward we will be highlighting individual retailers and producing a feature on them which will be posted on the website and on our social media channels. This will further increase the visability of the local shopping offer.
Market Day Easel Exit Poster and Header
Exit posters and easel headers were also produced to go outside of the Town Hall on market days to direct shoppers into the village inviting them to enjoy the range of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs on offer.
Local Reception
Feedback from both shoppers and retailers has been very positive with retaillers reporting an increase in footfall.
Both local residents and retailers have fed back that they like that the Parish Council has taken a lead on helping them to build their businesses which, in turn, could create further employment opportunities in the area.
