Dark Peak Press has partnered with Glossop Creates to spearhead a campaign to support local businesses while encouraging people to shop local as the town opens up for trade.
The campaign - called LOVE GLOSSOP, SUPPORT LOCAL - will raise awareness of the incredible variety of local shops and other businesses in the town and its surrounding villages, including food and drink outlets, hospitality venues, charities and services that support the local community.
To encourage the community to get behind the initiative, the Love Glossop, Support Local brand has been immortalised onto reusable tote shopping bags, badges and window stickers for businesses that will add weight to the campaign and ensure all businesses and local shoppers feel connected and proud of the town as it opens up as restrictions ease.
Richard Knox, founder of Dark Peak Press, the custom screen-printing studio and online print shop in Glossop, said: “We really wanted to initiate a campaign that brings together Glossop’s wonderful array of independent businesses and gives them a boost after an incredibly challenging 12 months.
“This town has a vibrant, thriving high street and we hope the local community comes out in force to support Glossop’s economy over the next few months as the town opens up and the restrictions gradually lift - it doesn’t have to be all about spending money, either - local people can support the Love Glossop, Support Local campaign by sharing information on social media, recommending local businesses, cafes and restaurants or even exploring the high street to find new outlets for future shopping occasions.
“The campaign - sponsored by The Gasworks in Glossop - officially launched yesterday (Wednesday) and will run for several months with big spikes of activity centered around the weekends of April 17, May 22 and June 26. These days correspond with the government reopening dates and fall on the Saturdays after the lifting of restrictions as we travel along the roadmap out of lockdown.
“We are, of course, fully aware that all these dates are subject to change, based on government guidance.
“Different sectors are opening at different times so we wanted to build a fully inclusive campaign that allows all businesses to be involved on at least one of the targeted days.”
Claire Tymon, who heads up Glossop Creates, said: “We are really proud to be part of this initiative and it’s great to see creatives such as Richard leading the change and empowering both businesses and local people alike.
“The aim of the campaign is to highlight to the people of Glossop and the surrounding areas how important it is that they support our wonderful local indie businesses, especially during this reopening period where many will need a helping hand to get started again.
Love Glossop, Support Local will lift up the town and celebrate our amazing array of shops, bars, restaurants, venues and other small businesses we are fortunate enough to have here in Glossop. The campaign will also give us the opportunity to share stories and ideas, and recognise our wonderful independent business owners.
“Glossop Creates will be supporting the initiative with social media campaigns, a series of informative blogs for businesses and further live activity as restrictions lift.”
There is a case for shopping local, even if it’s just with a few pounds a month. According to data firm Kantar, 65 per cent of UK consumers believe that local shops are important to the community. Even more telling, according to another study by Visa, almost half of small business owners say that if everyone in their local community spent just £5 extra per week with small, indie businesses, it would help to keep them open in the long term.
In a recent article by national newspaper The Independent, a senior consultant for NEF Consulting found that for every £1 spent with small, local businesses, an extra 56 pence is spent locally as the money dissipates. And, if all staff in a business live locally to their workplace, that same £1 spent at a local business could mean another £1.64 would subsequently be spent locally by associated individuals and businesses.
This means there’s effectively an extra £1 up for grabs if local businesses like this then employ local individuals and buy from local suppliers.
Richard continues: “There are many ways in which local businesses can get involved with the initiative.
“If any business would like window stickers, posters, badges or tote bags for customers, they can contact me directly at darkpeakpress@gmail.com and the team will drop some off.
“The Love Glossop, Support Local campaign also encourages businesses to partner and collaborate with each other, and via Glossop Creates, we will be sharing some ideas and inspiration over the next few weeks and months via our collective social media channels and via the Glossop business groups on Facebook.”
You can find out more about the campaign by visiting Glossop Creates on Facebook and Instagram.
We will also be covering businesses reopening in Glossop and throughout the High Peak next week and the weeks ahead.
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