‘If our local businesses ever needed support, they need it now’

The Derry Journal today launches our own interactive #SupportLocal campaign to add to the successful online campaigns already operating in the north west, Local businesses trading online can send their website addresses and details to us and we are listing them online at www.derryjournal.com in an ad free format for ease of browsing.

City Centre manager Jim Roddy told the Journal that ‘if our local businesses ever needed support, they need it now.’

“I would urge people to try to shop local this Christmas as much as they can,” he said. “Lots of our shops have diversified and gone online. So, if you can’t make it into their shops, don’t pass them by, check their online presence. Let’s try to keep as many local people employed in as many local businesses as we can.”

Mr Roddy’s plea to the public was shared by other business and political figures in the Council area.

Also speaking to the Journal, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Brian Tierney, urged people to shop local where possible in order to show their support for the local economy.

“We are living in unprecedented times and everyone is looking forward to what we hope can be a happy Christmas and a much-needed boost to morale as we continue to live with the challenges presented by Covid-19,” he said.

Outlining the stark Christmas many will face this year, Mayor Tierney said that: “Christmas is usually a busy time of shopping, socialising, and eating out but this year presents a very different picture.

“Among the worst affected by the crisis are those working in the retail and hospitality sectors, who have been hit hardest during their busiest and most profitable period. This Christmas, in the spirit of good will, I am asking that people give something in return, and give thought to local businesses when they are drawing up their Christmas lists.”

The Mayor also urged the public to support ‘our local crafters, artists, retailers, food producers and hospitality businesses.’

“If everyone can do their bit and share some festive cheer locally, it will help sustain local businesses through these difficult months, until we can look forward to better times. We must remember that we are all in this together,” he added.

Paul Clancy, CEO of the Derry Chamber, agreed. He said: “The Chamber is proud to support the Shop Local campaign. Our small businesses and local traders have been among the worst hit this year with restrictions and closures.

“I would encourage everyone in the North West to back their local retailers and traders this Christmas and spend their money locally. This is the most crucial period of the year for local businesses and we can all back them by staying local, spending local, and supporting our small businesses.”

The Deputy Mayor of Derry City & Strabane, Alderman Graham Warke, also stressed the importance of shopping local over the festive period.

“As we all know, these local shops are so important and everybody should be getting behind their local businesses, both in the city and in surrounding towns and villages,” he said, adding: “We encourage people to spend their money locally. These businesses have put a lot of money into keeping their staff and customers safe during these unprecedented times.”

Sinn Féin Derry & Strabane Council Group Leader Sandra Duffy, eager to promote local businesses, set up an online page on Facebook and Instagram. So far, the ‘Shop Local Derry & Strabane’ page has received hundreds of likes, showcasing local businesses eager to get the merchandise and products in front of the public’s eyes.

The Sinn Féin councillor said: “With restrictions coming in so early in Derry due to the pandemic, I was trying to buy local and support local businesses myself, as much as I could. I set up the page to support them and to try to get the information out there to the public.”

Colr. Duffy told the Journal that since starting the online page, she has been inundated with requests, not just from local businesses looking to advertise on the page, but also from the public asking, where is the place to go locally to buy products. “People have been contacting me asking would you know someone local that does this or that? There’s a huge appetite out there to buy local,” she added. “People want to support local businesses and local businesses need our support. We need to be doing everything this Christmas to help them get through to the New Year. A lot of these businesses won’t be here in the New Year if we don’t support them.”

For more information on available support for local businesses, including grants and rural grant aid visit www.derrystrabane.com/recovery

*For more on the Journal’s #SupportLocal campaign see pages 18 & 19.