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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is planning to build on the success of its Make it Local campaign, which has profiled over 100 businesses since its launch, by appointing a creative communications consultancy to give the business community a further boost in the new financial year.
A recommendation to appoint the consultancy was agreed at a meeting of the Council's Economy, Regeneration and Tourism Committee on 19 January, with the proposal set to go before the full Council in February.
The Make it Local campaign was designed to make businesses more visible by showcasing their products and services and encourage residents and visitors to shop locally, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable local economy. Faced with sustained and increasing pressures over recent years, from rising operating costs to shifts in customer shopping behaviour, local businesses have struggled.
The Council-driven initiative provides a free platform to showcase and promote products and services. Since 2021, a broad mix of 104 retail and hospitality businesses across the district have been profiled.
Last year, 25 businesses were supported through a range of funding initiatives including the Small Settlements Regeneration Programme supported by the Department for Communities, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with the investment delivering a major district-wide campaign with the assistance of a digital and communications agency.
In the wake of the successful initiatives, the Council targeted digital advertising campaigns to align with key tourism and cultural events including Wake the Giant, the Ulster Fleadh and Newcastle's Eats and Beats and Restaurant Week, amplifying the shop local message at a time of high footfall and increased visitors to the area. A campaign last Christmas which showcased five local businesses, highlighting the economic importance of supporting local traders during a busy time, reached more than 300,000 people.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell, said money spent locally supports jobs and boosts the district's economy. He said the Make it Local initiative has been a great success and it's great news for the business community that it is being extended. "We want to provide businesses with a platform to showcase themselves and their towns. Make it Local provides them with an opportunity to be seen and supported and extending the scheme provides businesses with a window to share their story with the wider community."
ERT Chairperson, Councillor David Lee-Surginor, said Make it Local shines a light on the people behind local businesses, many of them family-owned, and the services they provide. "Those who express an interest in the scheme have an opportunity to reach a wider audience with the help of the Council."
To build on the success of Make it Local, the Council is planning new marketing campaigns to showcase the breadth of business products, services and experiences available across the district, both online and in-store, and will be strategically aligned to support major district-wide events and key seasonal trading periods including Christmas. Expressions of interest will open soon to allow new businesses to get involved in future Make it Local campaigns, and details of the process will be promoted across the Council's social media platforms.
The Council recognises the critical need to strengthen the Make it Local brand and build on the success of previous campaigns, to maintain momentum and enhance the initiative's reach and impact across the district.
