'There's never been a more important time to shop local': Business leaders and campaigners back Chron's new campaign

The Chronicle & Echo's new campaign - Your Town Needs You - has already received backing from business leaders and campaigners urging the public to get behind the things that make our town great.

Today, the Chron launched the campaign to support the town's independent traders and businesses, pubs, clubs, entertainment venues and charities as they battle for survival following the coronavirus lockdown.

The social media channel, NorthantsHour, has been actively promoting independent traders on its platforms and linked up with the Chron to produce the list of more than 50 food suppliers offering takeaways and deliveries.

A spokesperson for NorthantsHour said: " Now more than ever the need to support independent businesses and retailers is crucial in such unprecedented times. Businesses have had to adapt their ways of working in the hope to survive, while others have had to close, not knowing when they will be able to continue.

"It's unbelievably sad to see but Northampton has an amazing community and together we can help.

"Running the Northantshour social media channels I am so lucky to be able to support local businesses daily and promote them to reach a wider audience. Whether you're buying their items, liking and sharing their social media posts or telling your friends and family your help will make a huge difference.

"If you'd like to join us the networking hour runs every Thursday 8pm-9pm on Twitter. Just add #Northantshour to your tweets and search for the hashtag. I am also sharing local business news on the Northantshour Instagram account daily sharing which businesses are reopening, where you can order takeaways/deliveries from and spreading positivity," the spokesperson added.

Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District has given the campaign its full support.

Mark Mullen, BID operations manager, said: “It has never been a more important time to shop local. The BID team is working hard to support all town centre restaurants, cafes, boutiques, stores and businesses – and we are totally in support of the Chronicle & Echo’s message: this town does need you.

“This has been and continues to be an extremely difficult time for businesses so the BID is here to offer support wherever we can – helping more than 100 businesses with their grant funding applications, setting up an online business support hub, relaunching our website to include detailed COVID-19 information and lobbying MPS to enable more retail, hospitality and leisure businesses to access grants.

“We have been enormously impressed by the resilience and determination of businesses – many of whom are working in different and innovative ways to keep trading.

“One of the BID’s priorities now is to support businesses as they work towards reopening. From early June we will be offering COVID-19 recovery starter packs to all town centre BID levy paying businesses – which will include social distancing floor graphics, posters, social distancing tape and hand sanitiser. As we begin a phased return from lock down it is essential we all come together to shop local, support our town centre businesses and work together to create and embrace a ‘new normal’.”

Northampton Borough Council has also supported the Chron's campaign.

Councillor Jonathan Nunn, leader of NBC, said: “Northampton’s small, independents – our cafés, delis, boutiques and market traders, to name a few – make up the unique character and fabric of our town centre.

“High streets across the country are rapidly changing, with many big-name retail brands now replaced by online equivalents, and a return to a local, independent offer with that all-important personal touch.

“The council has long advocated such businesses, having provided many with financial support through our business incentive scheme. The Northampton Forward agenda, which we continue to push with our partners from across the borough, recognises and supports this retail shift and places emphasis on shopping locally.

“Many of these independent businesses have evolved over several years, and in the aftermath of this pandemic, we need to support them more than ever before to ensure that they continue to prosper.”