SPECIAL INDEPENDENTS INITIATIVE LAUNCHED BY THE NOTTINGHAM RETAIL AND LEISURE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
SPECIAL INDEPENDENTS INITIATIVE LAUNCHED BY THE NOTTINGHAM RETAIL AND LEISURE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
A month long campaign throughout July linked to Independence Day that is celebrated on 4 July is being launched by the Nottingham Retail and Leisure Business Improvement Districts (BID) to highlight and celebrate the strength of the city’s independent retail and leisure sectors.
The city’s independent sector is key to distinguishing it from other towns and cities and also to attracting visitors who are looking for something a little different. All major cities have national chains but it is the sometimes quirky and individual independents that give a city its unique character.
From the beginning of July visitors can find out all about Nottingham’s Independent offering through a specially designed interactive map available on the It’s in Nottingham website www.itsinnottingham.com/independents. A special logo has been created too that will be used to identify the independents in the city. This will be added to businesses’ entries on the website and will also appear on stickers on the shop windows of the independents that are part of the campaign, on stickers and on bags.
Throughout the month there will also be a range of exclusive special offers, competitions and treats from Nottingham’s independent businesses. These will be available through VIP Nottingham, It’s in Nottingham’s free online reward scheme for a great range of special offers and treats from businesses in Nottingham city centre www.itsinnottingham.com/vip/independents
In addition to celebrate the strength of Nottingham’s independents, the Retail and Leisure BIDs have launched a competition – Your Favourite Independent - sponsored by the Nottingham Post, giving readers the opportunity to vote for their favourite independent in the city. Voting will open at the beginning of July on the Nottingham Post website www.thisisnottingham.com.
There will be two categories in the competition, one for independent retailers and one for independent licensed premises and they need to be either levy payers or Friends of the two BIDs who contribute to the BID’s activities. The top five in each category as voted for by readers will then be assessed by a panel of judges who will chose two overall winners. The results will be announced at the beginning of August.
The judges will be using a range of criteria to make their final decision ranging from the quality of customer service to knowledge and friendliness of staff; the quality and range of products or services on offer to overall customer service.
“This is a great initiative for Nottingham’s independent businesses,” said Geoff Williams, a director of the Nottingham Retail BID and owner of Tokenhouse. “We have known for a long time what a great independent offering the city has and this will enable those businesses to be clearly identified and to actively promote them too.”
Gary Thompson, managing director of Tonic Bar and Restaurant and a director of the Nottingham Leisure BID added:
“Nottingham manages to blend some truly unique venues with the more well known brands, making it an ideal retail and leisure destination. I’m fully behind anything that celebrates this diversity, offers independent traders in the city a platform to shout about how great they are and encourages members of the public to support what’s on their doorstep.”
The BIDs, who work jointly and independently to deliver a number of key initiatives in the city including this one, are focused on making Nottingham the destination of choice for people when they want to shop or spend their leisure time, helping to drive business and enhance the city’s reputation.
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