Shop Local This Christmas: We launch our campaign

This week, we launch our Shop Local This Christmas campaign. The last 18 months has been incredibly tough for businesses and we want to show our support by encouraging people in the district to come into our towns and villages and shop and eat. 

We hope, of course, that if they like what they see, they will make return journeys and we can ensure the future of our town centres for many years to come.

This week, our focus is mainly on Huningdon, but in subsequent weeks, we will be out and about in St Neots, St Ives and Ramsey, and also many of the surrounding villages.

St Ives town mayor, Cllr Pasco Hussain believes that it is vital that people shop locally this winter. 

He said: “It is vital for us to work together, to enhance and promote our wonderful town, its thriving businesses, its visitor economy and the joyous sense of community that St Ives has.  

“Shop local means more to St Ives than ever.  With so many independent businesses, we will do everything we can, by working in partnership with our council colleagues to show what St Ives has to offer the residents, businesses and visitors.” 

St Neots mayor, Councillor Stephen Ferguson, also believes it vital that we support independent businesses.

Councillor Ferguson said: "After a couple of very difficult years I am encouraged by they way in which the high-street has bounced back post pandemic.

"We are fortunate to have some excellent new independent shops have recently opened, including a gift shop and a plant shop.

"I urge residents to focus their Christmas spending on local retailers, who deserve our support and our business.

"After last year, in which many of us were forced to spend Christmas apart from our family and friends, I think that the whole of St Neots is looking forward to a very special festive season this year.

"I’m especially looking forward to the Christmas Lights Event on Sunday 28^th which will be a long overdue opportunity for the whole town to celebrate."

 Emma Proctor-King, chairman of BID Huntingdon, said: "Here in Huntingdon we have an excellent range of businesses that enable people to shop locally without the need to travel further afield.

"With plenty of places to stop for a coffee or something to eat we would urge everyone to support our local High St and stay local.

Not only will this keep more money in the local economy but it will also support local jobs, hep the environment and benefit the

Huntingdon community as a whole. A full list of businesses in Huntingdon can be found on our website www.huntingdonfirst.co.uk.