Local retailers urged to sign up to shopinhampshire

Friday, 15 June 2012

Hampshire shops are being urged to sign up to a website that aims to support local high streets.

The www.shopinhampshire.co.uk website was launched by the County Council with Newsquest in 2009 to support retailers across the county who are fighting increased competition from large retail chains and online shopping. The website now has over 9,000 retailers listed on the site in 47 towns in the county.

Businesses can be listed for free and the site is promoted to Hampshire residents to encourage them to support the local businesses in their towns.

Shop in Hampshire puts the people directly in touch, online from the comfort of their own homes, with their local retailers throughout the county. Users of the website can search by town name or shop category and the shop listings include phone numbers, web links, parking information, events in the town and maps.

Councillor Ray Ellis, Executive Member for Economic Development and Rural Affairs at Hampshire County Council, said: "The Mary Portas review rightly highlighted the importance of our high streets and showed that the proportion of retail spending going to town centres has fallen to 42% from 49% in 2000 and is projected to fall further to 40% by 2014. In contrast, both online and out-of-town shopping have risen, with online sales doubling since 2000 to 10% and predicted to rise to more than 12% by 2014.

"If we are to keep Hampshire's towns and cities vibrant and preserve their economic vitality we need to do what we can to help promote them to shoppers and visitors.

"The website showcases what the county's high streets have to offer. Fresh and seasonal produce, quality goods made locally, greater convenience and a more personal shopping experience just some of the many reasons to support Hampshire's local shops. The more businesses that sign up to shopinhampshire the greater the impact it will have."

Sindee Hastings, Proprietor of Apolonia Skurk in Lymington said

"We are pleased to be part of Shop in Hampshire which promotes the independent shops of the county. Maintaining the vitality of Hampshire's high streets is so important and new ways to promote the retailers is great news for the industry."

Shops wanting further information or to sign up please visit www.shopinhampshire.co.uk or contact hannah.payne@hants.gov.uk

• Shop in Hampshire

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