This month, Wigan Council launches Love Local, a brand-new campaign to encourage residents of the borough to shop locally within its wide range of independent businesses.
With the whole country experiencing a cost-of-living crisis, spending money in small, independent businesses and supporting the local economy has never been more important.
Having initially launched a #SupportLocal campaign in 2020, focused on helping businesses to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic, this new iteration of the campaign is continuing to lend support to small businesses to safeguard the local economy.
“Supporting local independent businesses is such a powerful thing we can all do to Love Local,” said Councillor David Molyneux MBE, Leader of Wigan Council.
“Spending money locally reinvests it back into our community in these difficult times, boosting our local economy, supporting businesses to not only survive but thrive, and helping to make Wigan Borough a vibrant, unique and exciting place.
“Follow LoveLocalWigan on social media to get inspired by our local entrepreneurs, and to see the fantastic range of products and services from independent business who have made Wigan Borough their home.”
Love Local is all about inspiring residents to change their spending habits and take pride in the businesses which make Wigan Borough such a vibrant place to live.
The campaign will be celebrating the work of business owners, sharing their stories across social media and spotlighting the brilliant range of products and services they offer customers.
“Being a local business is so important to us,” said Ian, owner of The Replenishery , Wigan Borough’s first zero-waste shop, in Leigh.
“It’s all about bringing the community together. I’m from Leigh originally, so it’s great to be bringing something brand-new to the area, something that hasn’t been here before.
“We’ve been here for just over three years now and the support from the community has been amazing. We’d like to grow, if we can, and spread the word about the power of zero-waste shopping.”
Another aim of the campaign is to signpost the wealth of guidance and financial support Wigan Council is offering to businesses across the borough as a whole.
“The support I’ve had from Wigan Council has been amazing in terms of helping to drive my business forward,” said Colette, who runs Boutique by Colette in Makinson Arcade in Wigan.
“But for businesses to reap the benefits, they need to sign up to The Deal for Business, which is all about making a shared commitment to support growth across the borough.
“The reason you set up a business is because you see a niche or a gap in the market and we need to take advantage of that, and the available support, to give people an experience that’s unique and special.”
Find out more about the brand-new Love Local campaign and how you can get involved by visiting Love Local.
Love Local is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
