Shop local - New Christmas drive to help traders and protect jobs

Proposing the move at the recent Full Council meeting, Sinn Féin Councillor Sandra Duffy said the Council should do “all it can to assist our local traders and local shops throughout this difficult period”.

The motion called on the Council to explore opportunities to promote local businesses through advertising, online presence and social media. This, Colr. Duffy proposed, “should include our shops and our small cottage industries with traders working from their homes”.

Speaking to her motion, Colr. Duffy said: “As we are moving through the different stages of the COVID pandemic we have seen ourselves trying to balance people’s health with people’s ability to operate their businesses in a safe, COVID-secure way.

“At different times this has meant businesses have had to close down completely and this has hit our small traders particularly badly. “

Colr. Duffy said that during lockdown she had gotten into the habit of sourcing locally produced products rather than ordering from big multinational companies.

“In doing this I was amazed at the talent we have on our doorsteps - from essential services like butchers and greengrocers to hairdressers and beauticians, bars and restaurants and then the more specialist traders we have out there selling everything from soap to jewellery to art work, it is truly amazing to see.”

Colr. Duffy, who has set up a social media page for local traders with thousands joining it, praised how businesses have adapted during the pandemic and said many have praised the Council for its support, including the current ‘Small Spend, Giant Difference’ and forthcoming Christmas campaign plans.

SDLP Councillor John Boyle said his party were entirely supportive of the motion. “We all know, and it is a statement of the obvious, January is always a very difficult month in business, and many businesses depend on the income that comes in through November and December and clearly there is a very real fear that income won’t be realised this year.”

DUP Alderman David Ramsey said: “We definitely need to be supporting local businesses going forward because our families are employed in local businesses. Everyone is struggling at the minute and we definitely support local businesses being supported by ourselves.”

The motion was passed unanimously and Colr. Duffy thanked the Councillors for their support.