Torbay’s first High Street regeneration campaign, Love your High Street week, took place July 11-17. 100 retailers registered to be a part of the campaign, many of which used the initiative to create in store events and incentives.
Love your High Street week is a brand new campaign which encourages local people to shop more frequently in independent shops around the Bay and helps spread the message about why spending locally is so important.
Events and sessions were held across the week including a #TorbayHour Tweet Up, retail visits in Paignton and Brixham and fantastic artwork from Geoff Ward the Sandman, at Torre Abbey Sands. Local MP Kevin Foster was a keen supporter of the campaign, visiting retailers of St. Marychurch and speaking to them about what people shopping locally means to them.
Richard Haddock, Executive Lead for Business, said: “For the first of its kind in Torbay, this campaign has been a great success. It has brought retailers together, promoted a key message about our towns and helped shoppers recognise the value of shopping locally. Our efforts to boost the town centres and High Street regeneration will continue with the same high level of commitment. ”
The campaign is being delivered by Shop up the High Street, the high street regeneration project from the TDA and funded by the Coastal Communities Fund.
Liz Edwards, Business Advisor heading up the project, said: “It was fantastic to see both Torbay businesses and local shoppers really get behind this campaign. By encouraging people to spend more money locally, we can help ensure we’re doing all we can as a community to keep independent shops open.”
“The campaign will be ongoing, and we hope to do a second Love your High Street week towards the end of 2016. If you are an independent retailer on the high street it is not too late to join this ongoing campaign”
Each business received a free marketing pack with resources and promotional materials including posters and stickers to help spread the message to shop locally in Torbay. The campaign was completely free to all eligible retailers registering to get involved.
If you’d like to keep up to date with the project go to www.loveyourhighsttorbay.com and follow us on Twitter and facebook @loveyourhighsttorbay
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