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Launch of “Lovin’ it Local” shopping campaign
Date published: 08 November 2011
TONIGHT the Chronicle launches a major pre-Christmas advertising campaign with a rallying call to shoppers to use local retailers.
Our “Lovin’ It Local” advertising message will see a series of features on the town-centre businesses that are having such a tough time at the moment with the double whammy of economic squeeze and the ongoing Metrolink roadworks.
Many locals have been deeply critical of the roadworks that have plagued the town centre for months and will be with us for some time until Metrolink is established.
But we need shoppers to be able to rise above such local difficulties and stand up to be counted and get those tills ringing in the town centre’s hour of need.
It is abundantly clear that town-centre retailers need to have a good Christmas to boost their trading figures and, in the main part, that will come from Oldhamers shopping local rather than relying on visitors from further afield.
And we all want Oldham to be a thriving town centre. It is in nobody’s interest to see more and more of our retailers having to shut up shop.
Many of the Oldham town-centre businesses are independent retailers who have been supporting the borough for years and without our patronage they are going to hit the buffers along with the jobs that they represent.
And it it no good saying that you will go elsewhere until all the roadworks are completed. Your town centre needs you NOW!
The Chronicle has teamed up with the Town Centre Partnership to offer local retailers discounted advertising over the next six weeks in special features to promote the town centre.
From tomorrow, we shall be shining the “Lovin it Local” spotlight on the town centre in six areas:
Spindles/ Town Square Shopping Centre (tomorrow and December 15).
Yorkshire Street/Union Street (Friday and November 28)
High Street (November 23 and December 8)
George Street/Union Street (November 18 and December 5)
Oldham Markets (November 25 and December 12)
Night-time entertainment (November 16 and December 1)
In each of 12 twice-a-week features we will be reporting on some of the businesses new and old within the areas concerned and we are urging you to support these shops to buy as many of your Christmas goods as possible in a bid to boost the local economy.
Yes you could go to Manchester or other local towns and cities. Yes you could go to the Trafford Centre — but our town centre needs you now like never before.
The town centre has taken a few big hits over the last year with the loss of the likes of TJ Hughes and JJB Sports but the best chance we have of attracting replacement stores is if our chain stores and independent traders offer a diverse mix of goods and services.
The council has played its part by introducing free parking and a series of town-centre events and attractions including the reindeer parade (Saturday) and lights switch-on (November 20) as well as the Mrs Claus village (December 3-18).
We shall also be announcing more ways in which you can benefit from doing your shopping in Oldham in the coming weeks.
And we have not forgotten the businesses in the district centres. We will also be offering them the chance to promote their wares in the same way in the weeks before Christmas.
Comments
Well done Chronicle.
The shops know best what will help them.
I always try to buy my items locally first. Just tried to buy an item, went around every oldham shop I could think of, even elk mill etc. £160 three weeks delivery, online same item £85 free next day delivery. Tried to buy another item a couple of weeks ago, twice the online price and no he couldn't be bothered to order it for me anyway.
There is very little choice in Oldham anymore most of the shops I frequented have gone. I will be supporting these shops, but believe Oldham is too far gone.
So glad Council have finally got the message - Jim McMahon admitted that retailers had been left to fend for themselves during high levels of disruption. As the owner of one of Oldham's oldest shops, I've been urging Council to understand the problems of independent retailers during a very difficult time both economically and logistically. It's too late for Mountainfeet to remain in Oldham but I urge everyone reading this to support the remaining businesses. Use 'em or lose 'em is my message...
I certainly won't be going into the spindles shopping centre until the issue of the gangs of youths shouting & screaming and generally intimidating people is addressed. I expect that as last time the chron won't allow this to reach the boards, but turning a blind eye won't help the situation. Other shopping centres ban these kids and they are safe family places.
We do need our local shops, but we need them to feel pleasant & safe, at the moment they don't.
Whilst the Chronicles campaign is to be applauded, the real issue for the lack of customers is the fact they need to keep money in their pockets to pay massive gas, electric and petrol bills. What the Chronicles campaign must not do is encourage people to spend money they do not have and driving them to money lenders that charge extortionate interest rates. Know your audience Chron people are struggling to make ends meet!
where though! while its a nice idea in principle there actually needs to be something to buy. TJ Hughes is still empty, HMV is still empty nearly a year after the retailer left. That end of spindles looks blighted and forgotton. So if you want to enjoy local shops in the run up to Christmas, can we please have some!
This is a brilliant initiative by the Chronicle. We should be supporting our town and our local businesses. The road disruption will end soon and we will start to benefit from Metrolink. But that will be diminished if the existing traders are forced out of business or new traders don't arrive. Let's all do everything that we can to support our town. The council and the Chronicle have has done their bit, it's time for us to do ours.
Well done, Chron.
Have Your Say
It's good to see the Chronicle throwing its considerable weight behind Oldham's flagging retailers. I make a point of shopping in Oldham most days, although I must admit, the draw of Ashton and Manchester is particularly strong (as it is for a lot of people). Still, sterling work by the Chronicle.
By shaun mcgrath @ 08/11/2011 16:02:20