'Shop in your town' campaign kicks off in Christchurch

3:00pm Friday 18th January 2013 in News By Katie Clark

POTENTIAL LIFT TO TOWN: Cheryl Dennett, organiser of the Totally Locally Campaign with Ian Cook, of Heartizans Deli in Christchurch POTENTIAL LIFT TO TOWN: Cheryl Dennett, organiser of the Totally Locally Campaign with Ian Cook, of Heartizans Deli in Christchurch

WORK on a shopping scheme to encourage more local people to use Christchurch stores is underway.

The first meeting to inform traders and business owners about the Totally Locally scheme took place on Tuesday night.

And as well as some interested traders from Christchurch, local councillors were also in attendance at the meeting including portfolio holder for business Trevor Watts and economic development officer Paul Riley.

The Totally Locally campaign which has been taken up by several towns across the UK claims Christchurch’s economy could be boosted by an extra £8.2million a year if traders get behind it.

The initiative’s message is that if Christchurch residents spent just £5 a week in local independent shops, the boost to the town would help ensure its survival.

Cheryl Dennett, who is leading the scheme, told the meeting that this was a project that could potentially lift the whole town.

“It is reminding people about what they have in our town that is good”, she said.

“There only need to be small changes to make a big difference.

“It could change public perception and shopping habits.

“Ultimately it is about the town, not individual businesses.

“It is about devising ways we can get people to understand what our town has to offer.

“I know people may not want to take part in the beginning but we need to promote them anyway and get the ball rolling.”

She added: “It’s about being nice to customers, fellow business owners and long-standing enemies.

“We are taking on huge corporations and supermarkets with huge marketing teams and brand strategies.

“This will require a little bit of people’s time and effort. But if we’re working towards making our town a more profitable place then it can only be a good thing.”

Ideas including a “fiver fest” where shops offer some goods for £5 and a Hidden Gems scheme where stores each champion a different business in the town to encourage customers to visit, were greeted with enthusiasm by some traders.

The next meeting is due to take place on February 19 at Christchurch Fire Station.

Comments(23)

skydriver says...
3:22pm Fri 18 Jan 13

I'm right behind this idea, Sadly because the car parking charges will be rising from April 1st, no it's no joke, I doubt if extra shoppers will come to Christchurch, now guess who we should blame , you guessed it the councillors , it's their hairbrained idea to increase the cost to keep people away from Christchurch.So we ALL must get together and support the town and that includes the council, so, forget the price hike, and cancel the evening charges from the same date.
I say to those in office this person wants to help the town, and so should you.
All the best to Heartizans Deli

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guisselle says...
3:27pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Christchurch has a charm of its own
and it's the serenity and historical
aspect of the town that I embrace. Look
around the priory or walk over the
bridge and see the lovely river views!
The parking maybe needs to be
addressed although the buses are a
good alternative!

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The Renegade Master says...
3:39pm Fri 18 Jan 13

If these traders want people to visit Christchurch and spend their money, it's important that the greedy Council drop or remove their parking charges altogether on at least a couple of days a week. Without this many people will just continue to either shop online or toddle off a couple of miles down the road to Castlepoint.

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bsjc1234 says...
3:43pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Is Cheryl only doing this to promote her own magazine? Maybe due to pressure from her advertisers she is coming up with the idea, am sure the echo wish to also promote their own and other magazines also?

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LalalaP says...
4:07pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Christchurch is such a beautiful, historical happy town that has always been full of local thriving businesses of all varieties and I'm always happy to support them. Unfortunately, Christchurch has lost it's charm some what, with the influx of small 'shabby-chic' cafes, high street coffee shops and large pizza parlours, in particular a famous pizza chain on a very large premises next to a new huge cafe/bar. I don't see how these chains of common commercial shops help the unique, quaint local community that Christchurch is famous for, I feel Christchurch is losing its identity and has become just like everywhere else 'same ole, same ole'. I felt very sad to walk around Christchurch last weekend and saw what it has become and thought of how it used to be when I was a cadet in 171sqn air cadets in the 90's. get rid of the big businesses, bring back the local shops and happy community

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Jetwasher says...
4:10pm Fri 18 Jan 13

"The initiative’s message is that if Christchurch residents spent just £5 a week in local independent shops, the boost to the town would help ensure its survival"

Indeed but if the council offered free parking it might work, Other than that your just peeing in the wind. Good Luck

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SurfReefFunTime says...
5:01pm Fri 18 Jan 13

LalalaP wrote:
Christchurch is such a beautiful, historical happy town that has always been full of local thriving businesses of all varieties and I'm always happy to support them. Unfortunately, Christchurch has lost it's charm some what, with the influx of small 'shabby-chic' cafes, high street coffee shops and large pizza parlours, in particular a famous pizza chain on a very large premises next to a new huge cafe/bar. I don't see how these chains of common commercial shops help the unique, quaint local community that Christchurch is famous for, I feel Christchurch is losing its identity and has become just like everywhere else 'same ole, same ole'. I felt very sad to walk around Christchurch last weekend and saw what it has become and thought of how it used to be when I was a cadet in 171sqn air cadets in the 90's. get rid of the big businesses, bring back the local shops and happy community
I am in my late 20's, resident of christchurch for many years. Got no problem with any chains opening up in Christchurch.

More the merrier. Its bought a new lease of life and brings Christchurch up to date!!

Get over it!

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elaine191261 says...
5:11pm Fri 18 Jan 13

well you never knew xch years ago,it had everything you wanted shop wise .i went out in the evenings to the pubs and the nightclubs too,christchurch better then

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Loyal2AFCB says...
5:40pm Fri 18 Jan 13

The death knell for the town centre was sounded the day councillors gave Sainsburys permission to build a superstore on greenbelt at Somerford.

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Justin Black says...
5:58pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Christchurch is a wonderful place, and I feel proud to be a resident. Unfortunately most town centres are uninviting these days due to less people using them because shopping trends have changed.
I think "SurfReefFunTime" has the right idea. We will never get the big companies in Christchurch, so I think we need to be grateful that we have what we have. Otherwise the High Street could finish up looking similar to Boscombe.

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muscliffman says...
8:48pm Fri 18 Jan 13

There is one simple way to sort this out.

Free Car Parking.

Until this happens the out of town retail parks which do offer it and the internet will continue to drain the remaining trade from our town centres.

Local Council's have to wake up urgently and recognise this - and as for the commercial car parks their time, in the main, has passed.

Bournemouth in particular will regret selling their car parks, probably the one life-line they could have thrown to their town centre. (Still the current Council's developer friends will do alright!)

You cannot charge people to come and do business any longer, especially when they have free alternatives.

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darren_55 says...
9:14pm Fri 18 Jan 13

The issue is once again parking. Free at Sainsburys, free at Bailey Bridge, expensive in the centre. The council need to up the business rates and cut parking.

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Mikeyunibournemouth says...
1:40am Sat 19 Jan 13

Loyal2AFCB wrote:
The death knell for the town centre was sounded the day councillors gave Sainsburys permission to build a superstore on greenbelt at Somerford.
Hardly, the supermarket is miles out of town. Unfortunately, Christchurch will eventually be swallowed up in to the seaside ghetto that Bournemouth has become!

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skydriver says...
10:02am Sat 19 Jan 13

Jetwasher wrote:
"The initiative’s message is that if Christchurch residents spent just £5 a week in local independent shops, the boost to the town would help ensure its survival"

Indeed but if the council offered free parking it might work, Other than that your just peeing in the wind. Good Luck
Good point jetwasher, the difficulty is getting the amateur councillors of Christchurch to understand. All the readers maybe interested to note no one from the council chamber ever defends the remarks or comments made about them, quite simply they don't have an answer.............m
ore interested in collecting their attendance allowance.

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dobrojoe says...
10:42am Sat 19 Jan 13

Free parking is NOT the answer. It is already difficult to to find a parking space in Christchurch at times. There is no room for more car parks - free or otherwise. Where in Christchurch, I ask, can I buy a shirt, a vest, underpants? Apart from Sainsbury's, half the population is not catered for in the town centre yet there are numerous empty shops. I put it all down to lack of imagination!

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skydriver says...
10:55am Sat 19 Jan 13

dobrojoe wrote:
Free parking is NOT the answer. It is already difficult to to find a parking space in Christchurch at times. There is no room for more car parks - free or otherwise. Where in Christchurch, I ask, can I buy a shirt, a vest, underpants? Apart from Sainsbury's, half the population is not catered for in the town centre yet there are numerous empty shops. I put it all down to lack of imagination!
Alas this can't be put down to the council, you are right all folk are not catered parking should not be fre but £1 for two hours is ok and free at night at present. Re your point I think M& S Christchurch may have what you are looking for!

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Hessenford says...
12:08pm Sat 19 Jan 13

darren_55 wrote:
The issue is once again parking. Free at Sainsburys, free at Bailey Bridge, expensive in the centre. The council need to up the business rates and cut parking.
Great idea, up the business rates and drive what shops are left out of Christchurch.

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The Cerne Giant says...
1:07pm Sat 19 Jan 13

I agree whole heartedly that Christchurch is a town of unique charms and well worth a visit

BUT . . .

Shopping is a nightmare compared to a short time on the net - delivered to my front door by a gang of friendly and helpful delivery boys and girls

The demise of the high street is nigh

Sad but true

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skydriver says...
1:10pm Sat 19 Jan 13

dobrojoe wrote:
Free parking is NOT the answer. It is already difficult to to find a parking space in Christchurch at times. There is no room for more car parks - free or otherwise. Where in Christchurch, I ask, can I buy a shirt, a vest, underpants? Apart from Sainsbury's, half the population is not catered for in the town centre yet there are numerous empty shops. I put it all down to lack of imagination!
Alas this can't be put down to the council, you are right all folk are not catered parking should not be fre but £1 for two hours is ok and free at night at present. Re your point I think M& S Christchurch may have what you are looking for!

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mytown1 says...
6:28pm Sun 20 Jan 13

If anyone looks at the plans for development in the High Street in the Core Strategy Plan I think you will see that parking will not be an issue?!

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Yankee1 says...
10:42pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Loyal2AFCB wrote:
The death knell for the town centre was sounded the day councillors gave Sainsburys permission to build a superstore on greenbelt at Somerford.
Minor impact.

The death knell came with Castlepoint.

Why?

Free parking.

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chiesa says...
5:14pm Wed 23 Jan 13

darren_55 wrote:
The issue is once again parking. Free at Sainsburys, free at Bailey Bridge, expensive in the centre. The council need to up the business rates and cut parking.
you've got to be joking! Business rates are already higher than most other towns !

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palexgo says...
10:57am Sun 27 Jan 13

The problem for local residents at Xchurch is that all the very local food shops; Waitrose, M&S and Co-op, are all expensive. Fortunately a Lidl, (free parking) has arrived at Sumerford Rd and I'm hoping that an ALDI will arrive locally. That will save me having to drive to Boscombe.

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