“It is a use it or lose it situation. It will be the death of the high street unless you shop locally. Please remember to support local people and their businesses – and their families by extension, and jobs as well. We can do this if we stick together.”
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During the last lockdown, there was a huge amount of support for local businesses:
Support for Sidmouth business – Vision Group for Sidmouth
Support your local small business – Vision Group for Sidmouth
Support your local food – Vision Group for Sidmouth
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And during the current lockdown, the support continues…
On the social media platform Nextdoor, there has been the ongoing campaign ‘Let’s Back Our Businesses’:
Newsfeed — Nextdoor (log-on)
The District Councils is showing its support as best it can:
Details of a further business grants scheme are also expected to be with us in the coming days.
2 November 2020 – Council prepares for second lockdown – East Devon
The Town Council is providing information on shops and services available:
Official Sidmouth Town Council Website – Sidmouth Town Council
WEB_Sid_Com_CV19_v2.pdf
And will still be putting on a show for Christmas, as reported by the East Devon News:
No switch-on, but ‘bigger and better’ Christmas lights promised in Sidmouth
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Meanwhile, the local media is urging us to support local businesses…
The Nub News is carrying a regular column showcasing traders:
UP CLOSE: Annies of Sidmouth | sidmouth.nub.news
This week, they interviewed Sharon Hobson of Flutterbys on Fore Street:
“It is a use it or lose it situation. It will be the death of the high street unless you shop locally. Please remember to support local people and their businesses – and their families by extension, and jobs as well. We can do this if we stick together.
“I want to urge residents to do whatever they can to shop from Sidmouth shops, call your favourite shops, order over the phone, over email, through the website – try and go that extra mile and make the effort. Take advantage of click and collect while you are doing your daily exercise. Take a look at the shop windows, a lot of us will have displays to make it as accessible as possible for you when walking past. Everyone is more than happy to help you over the phone and help you find something you like.
“We need to save the high street if you shop with big online-only brands then you will lose out on being able to pop to the shop in person. Sidmouth will not keep its amazing appeal, without its variety of independent businesses.”
‘Help us’ urge independent Sidmouth shop owners | sidmouth.nub.news
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As said, supporting local businesses is also supporting local jobs:
East Devon unemployment rate could soar to 10% in the next six months