Throughout the pandemic Winchester BID’s Support Your Local Businesses campaign has been helping to keep the public informed about how they can continue to support local businesses as we have moved in and out of restrictions – now we are teaming up with the Hampshire Chronicle and Winchester City Council to deliver the new Love Local Business campaign which launched 4 February.
This new partnership between Winchester BID, the Hampshire Chronicle and Winchester City Council aims to support the local business community. BID members will benefit from print and online media, including stories, profiles, news and information each week to highlight our fantastic business community, as well as the opportunity to access discounted advertising. As part of this there will be a special print edition supplement and online picture gallery launching 18 February. BID members can upload an image and description to be featured for free. In addition, BID members will have the chance to win a professional e-commerce website and four months of free advertising provided by Winchester City Council and LOCALiQ, the digital marketing arm of Newsquest, publisher of the Hampshire Chronicle, T&Cs apply.
Now and in the future as lockdown restrictions are lifted, it is more important than ever that everyone does what they can to support their local businesses. This is why we are working in partnership to deliver the new Love Local Business campaign in print, online and on social media. Over the coming weeks there will be extensive coverage and exposure for our local business community.
Editor of the Hampshire Chronicle, Bill Browne said: “We have learned a great deal in the past year, not least that working together is absolutely vital. So much can be achieved through collaboration and supporting and promoting businesses in these incredibly tough and challenging times. Businesses across Winchester are the lifeblood of their communities and the city’s economy. We all have a stake in their success. As we wait for the full vaccination rollout, we want to do our bit to help boost business.”
LOCALiQ Advertising Director, Laura Bielinski said: “We are delighted to be working very closely with Winchester City Council and Winchester BID in this hugely important campaign. Together we want to be at the very forefront of backing, promoting and supporting the business community. It’s also vital to ensure that shoppers and visitors feel safe, confident and reassured that it is okay to come back to our city centre and district high streets when the time is right and restrictions ease. Businesses in all sectors have worked tirelessly to deal with all the challenges thrown at the them by the pandemic. For example, many have stepped up their digital presence, pivoted towards e-commerce and are now trading successfully both online and on the high street. We want to celebrate and highlight the great work they are doing and how crucial they are to all of us.”
Executive Director of Winchester BID, Paul Spencer said: “The Love Local Business initiative is very welcome and anything we can do together to make as much noise as possible about our city’s fantastic businesses has to be good thing. This kind of partnership working is the way forward.”
Peter Taylor, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce Director and Managing Partner at Paris Smith LLP said: “The businesses in Winchester have felt the significant pain of the pandemic. The footfall to the city centre and the communities in the city has dropped greatly as we play our part in overcoming the spread of the virus. There are many resilient businesses which have adapted how they offer their goods and services. A number have increased their sales online and through home delivery. The future prosperity of the city and the speed at which we can collectively recover from the pandemic depends significantly on the people of Winchester continuing to support each other, and especially local businesses in the city.”
Keep a lookout in the Hampshire Chronicle newspaper and website as well as on the BID’s social media channels for updates.
To find out more about the Love Local Business campaign click here and to upload your business images and information: hampshirechronicle.co.uk/lovelocal
To read an interview with our Executive Director, Paul Spencer about how the BID has been supporting the local business community during the pandemic click here.
