BUSINESSES in Warwickshire are being offered promotional help by council chiefs to get back on their feet following the impact of the pandemic.
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) has launched the ‘Buy Eat Local’ campaign and is calling on retailers and food establishments to send in short video clips from their mobile phones to have their businesses featured for free, in a series of short films, to promote businesses.
The aim is to encourage residents to continue to support local retail and food businesses as the county starts to move out of the strict lockdown period.
Supermarkets, corner shops, banks, pharmacies and petrol stations have been able to remain open during the lockdown.
Covid-secure open air markets and car showrooms can now re-open, and from June 15, non-essential stores will also be able to re-open. This includes shops selling clothes, toys, books and electronics, as well as tailors, auction houses, photography studios, and indoor markets.
Any retail business which is open and/or offering delivery or collection services to its customers can take part. They simply need to send a short video-clip – taken on a phone or tablet – showing their products or shop front by June 10 to [email protected]
The clips are being compiled into short promotional videos encouraging people to shop and eat locally. The campaign is being kicked off with a video highlighting retail businesses in Stratford and can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/buyeatlocal
This ‘Buy Eat Local’ webpage also provides links to any directories and facebook pages that have been produced by communities and town groups, to show businesses which are open, or due to open, in their local area as lockdown measures start to ease.
WCC leader Coun Izzi Seccombe said: “There are now so many ways we can back the Warwickshire businesses we know and love. Lots of our businesses have risen to the challenges of lockdown brilliantly and moved their processes online. Now, as lockdown starts to ease and more shops on our high streets start to re-open their doors, we need to continue to support them.
“These videos will encourage the people of Warwickshire to seek out and support their local independents – and keep supporting them into the future.”
The Federation of Small Businesses has produced a report entitled New Horizons which sheds light on the scale of small businesses’ efforts to help their communities during the current crisis. Among the recommendations that the report makes is that local authorities’ websites create an accessible database of local market traders and small businesses if they are available to deliver or sell locally.
Lee Osborne, Development Manager for the Warwickshire and Coventry Federation of Small Businesses, added: “This is a really important campaign to boost local confidence. With the right support, we can make sure that local small businesses stay engaged with their local communities, have a wider customer reach and promote local products and services.”
Businesses keen to feature in the promotional video should send a short video clip to [email protected]
Tips for Clips
* Logo – try to include something with your logo on in the background
* Action – Be doing something related to your business such as loading a van, packing a bag, moving stock, putting stock on shelves etc
* Sound – not needed. Background music will e added so just lots of smiles and waves to the camera
* PPE – make sure you are wearing it if required
