Lancashire group urges people to support local businesses this Christmas

The FSB is urging people to buy from, and celebrate, their local and independent businesses in a pre-Christmas campaign. It said the unprecedented pressure on small businesses throughout 2020 means they desperately need a boost from their local communities.

It wants shoppers to use the hashtag #ilovesmallbusiness online but also to share images of their actual buys by using the hashtag #shopherethisChristmas. It also wants retailers to join in by posting images of themselves and their shops using the hashtag #shopherethisChristmas.

North West Regional Chairman Chris Manka said: “We all have a part to play to ensure our independent retail businesses have a fighting chance of rescuing their curtailed Christmas sales so they can continue to be part of the local community in 2021.

‘’This has been an unbelievably testing time for our brilliant small, independent retail businesses.

‘’Many have worked tirelessly to try and stay open and provide invaluable support and service to the community in a safe and secure way, and we know being part of a vibrant community with independent businesses is important to local people.

"We therefore hope local people support this campaign and reward the loyalty their local independents have shown to communities They are the very heartbeat of local life."

Chris Manka added that businesses had innovated over the past few months by launching online with ‘click and collect’ services so they need help people's too.

The FSB campaign is also inviting retailers themselves to ensure they are part of this campaign by posting images of themselves and their shops online to entice shoppers using the hashtag #shopherethisChristmas.

Resources for small businesses to get involved with the FSB campaign are available free of charge at https://www.fsb.org.uk/campaign/shop-small-and-make-a-big-difference.

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