Campaign to aid Lymington shops hit by lockdown and online sales

Banners, posters and flyers are being used to encourage people living in the Lymington area to support retailers and other businesses in the town.

The "I Love Lymington - Shop Local - Save Jobs" campaign has been devised by the Lymington Society.

Members of the influential group say they want to "get Lymington shopping again" with the help of the town's chamber of commerce.

As reported in the Daily Echo, Hampshire County Council has agreed to defer the introduction of controversial new parking charges in the High Street.

But traders in Lymington and other parts of the Forest have been hit by Camping in the Forest's decision not to reopen its ten campsites in the district this summer.

Traders in Lyndhurst fear the continued closure of the huge sites will slash their summer trade by 50%.

Anthony Climpson, chief executive of Go New Forest, which represents the area's tourism industry, has described the campsite closures as a "potential catastrophe" for shops.

The Lymington campaign aims to combat the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lymington Society spokesman Don Mackenzie said: "We all know how hard the retail sector has been hit by the three-month lockdown which, while very necessary, has caused havoc with the finances of many business, especially that of non-essential shops.

"This is on top of the pressure shops were already facing from the internet.

"Now that the lockdown is being eased we've decided to launch our campaign to try to persuade local people to consider using local shops, suppliers and businesses rather than looking elsewhere.

"As part of the campaign we are urging residents to 'think before they click' and give local shops a try rather than automatically reaching for the mouse or the smartphone.

"A call to a local shop could allow them to order in the item as quickly as ordering online and help preserve the High Street, which we all want to survive."