More businesses will open their doors for the first time this week in Bury St Edmunds as independent firms are championed.
Independents Week, a campaign in its 10th year that is promoted by the Business Improvement District (BID) Ourburystedmunds, begins today to celebrate nearly 300 independent businesses in the town centre.
And on ‘Independents Day’ itself (July 4) a proportion of them will be able to open their doors for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.
MORE: Queues outside Sports Direct and Debenhams as non-essential shops reopen in Bury St EdmundsMike Kirkham, who is the BID’s marketing and business support officer, said: “I am so glad that many of our independent businesses will be allowed to open for all or at least part of this year’s Independents Week because a couple of months ago we were in a very different situation.
“Campaigns like this have a critical role in helping small businesses bounce back from the difficulties of lockdown.
“People have got used to buying online or just doing one big supermarket shop during lockdown so the ‘high street’, or in our case Bury town centre, needs support more than ever.
“Spending just a few pounds with an independent business can make a huge difference and in Bury St Edmunds we have a wealth of them.
“Of course things are different at the moment and with queuing and social distancing in place impulse buying or browsing isn’t as easy. However many shops have adapted to include initiatives like ‘call and collect’ which allows you to have your item saved for you, pay for it over the phone and then just pick it up safely when convenient.”
MORE: Town centre toilets reopeningHe added: “With the next phase of the lockdown being lifted to allow more businesses to reopen on July 4 we hope Independents Day this year will give everyone something to celebrate.”
Ourburystedmunds Independents Week runs from June 29 to Sunday, July 5.
For details of all the independent businesses see here.
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