Residents to get vouchers in bid to save local shops
HOUSEHOLDS TO GET £20 EACH TO SPEND ON THE HIGH STREET
HOUNSLOW Council will offer all households in the borough a £20 voucher that they can spend in businesses which signed up for its ShopLocal initiative.
So far 200 businesses have signed up for the scheme and it is hoped it will encourage buyers to shop at local retailers.
Due to coronavirus much of consumer spending has been through their laptops and phones, so now the council wants to ‘revive’ the high street by encouraging in store purchases.
The scheme is aptly called the ShopLocal initiative.
It is hoped the initiative will bring residents back into local shopping areas, helping them provide the extra customer demand necessary to protect and retain jobs.
Residents will be receiving their e-voucher via a letter in the post.
The e-voucher will be valid to spend on products or services until December 7 2021.
Councillor Steve Curran, leader of Hounslow Council, said: “This ambitious initiative is designed to give a much-needed boost to shops and businesses in Hounslow.
“Our communities have faced challenging times in the past 18 months, and we want to do everything possible to uplift our residents and business owners.
“Every household will have the opportunity to explore our fantastic range of shops and venues. By shopping locally, we can all do our bit to help Hounslow recover from the pandemic and foster a longer-term culture of supporting our high streets keeping the pound in Hounslow.”
The local high street became a centre point for many people during the coronavirus pandemic as shopping centres and trips to central London were not available or necessary.
However, it was also shops on the high street that faced the brunt of the pandemic’s financial impact if they were not deemed as essential.
It is hoped the injection of money from Hounslow Council will keep save businesses badly impacted by the pandemic.
Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, cabinet member for finance and corporate services in Hounslow, said: “Businesses in Hounslow contribute so much towards the vibrant, diverse borough we love. We are proud of how our businesses responded to the pandemic and lockdown restrictions with immense resilience and flexibility. Now we want to support them in every way possible to rebuild.
“The ShopLocal voucher provides an innovative way of encouraging a return to the high streets and injecting cash into the local economy.
“By shopping local you are supporting the heart of our local communities, saving independent businesses and jobs.”