Thebestofworthing are supporting Independents’ Day 2011 - Your high street needs you!
“Queen of Shops” Mary Portas is supporting the future of independent retailers on July 4th 2011 through her involvement with Independents’ Day, an initiative launched by Skillsmart Retail and the National Skills Academy for Retail.
Across the country, the public will be encouraged to buy at least one item from their local, independent shops to help keep the high street alive. If we don’t support our independent retailers we risk losing our high streets completely, leaving us with ‘ghost towns’ of empty shops and the only option shopping at out of town multinational superstores.
Fresh data from Local Data Company’s surveys of 2,700 UK retail destinations (out of a potential 4,400 total UK destinations), highlights that high street vacancy rates have started to rise again. The Local Data Company states that 14.6% of outlets are now vacant. This indicates that approximately 50,000 units are now not currently open to business on the UK high streets, showing just how challenging the situation is on the ground.
As well as thebestofworthing ‘Buy Local’ campaign which we have just re-launched across town, Skillsmart Retail and the National Skills Academy for Retail have teamed up with independent retailers on a national level to encourage the public to celebrate diversity on the high street.
We are delighted to get behind the campaign and would love for you all to get involved.
If you are a local business please show your support by:
- Downloading the Independents Day poster and put it up in your shop
- Upload the Independents Day banner to your company website
- Display thebestofworthing BUY LOCAL stickers wherever you can; in your car, shop or office window. If you would like a free sticker please e-mail us on worthing@thebestof.co.uk.
For more information on thebestofworthing 'Buy Local' campaign click here:
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/worthing/buylocal
For more information on Independents Day click here:
www.skillsmartretail.com/IndependentsDay
Follow the campaign on Twitter and Facebook
