According to Totally Locally, if every adult in the UK spent just £5 per week in their local shops and businesses, instead of online, at the supermarket or with the multinationals, it would be £13.5 Billion going directly back into our towns and cities.
Shop local. It’s the best way to reduce our carbon footprint and to support our High Streets. There has been a great response to a recent call to arms by The West Street Deli. They frankly told their Facebook community that despite innovative steps, including securing an alcohol license and extending opening hours into the evenings, it would be a struggle for them to make it through to the spring. Support and empathy from other business owners flooded in as well as hungry customers looking for freshly ground Lavazza coffee and sandwiches made to order. Thank you to everyone who rallied to support this local business situated in a prime location adjacent to the Market Cross. For those who haven’t made it yet,
why don’t you head down to The West Street Deli this week?
For our shops and communities to survive and thrive, we need to work collaboratively. Chichester BID has been working with partners such as Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Cathedral, Pallant House Gallery and The Great Sussex Way to engage their respective audiences through consumer driven campaigns to bring more footfall to our High Streets. This year the BID is also working even more closely with the events team at Chichester District Council (CDC) to support their events programme, which includes the annual Summer Street Party in July and it is spearheading plans to celebrate the Coronation on 6 May.
Joining up individual initiatives along the High Street as well as connecting High Street to High Street across the district, creates even greater experiences for the potential visitor. Collaboration, particularly for the smaller independent business is a mutually successful activity. There’s so much going on now in Chichester, come down and see for yourself.
By Danielle Dunfield, CEO of The Great Sussex Way and a member of the Chichester
BID Board of Directors