An amazing 56 businesses have been nominated as most loved as part of national ‘Love Local Day’ – with 41 nominations in Wimborne alone, businesses have also been nominated in Blandford, Bridport, Colehill, Corfe Mullen, Dorchester, Ferndown, Gillingham, Merley, Poole, Verwood, Weymouth, Westbourne and West Moors. The event recognises the UK’s most loved local businesses as well as those most loved within their local and wider areas. The event has been championed by ShopAppy.com – a digital platform and shop local campaign that is being backed by Dorset LEP to provide valuable support for Dorset's high streets.
Thousands of nominations have poured in from across the UK over the last few weeks with a massive increase from 2020’s event. Many locals have cited the adaptation of their local businesses during the pandemic “as their lifeline”. Nominations for the love local day also highlighted friendliness, helpfulness and exceptional service that local businesses have provided during the most challenging times for local communities, high streets, markets, towns and city centres.
Finn Morgan, Dorset LEP’s Business Engagement and Dorset Gateway Manager, said: “We’re delighted to see the continued support that has been shown across Dorset for our local businesses. Our new initiative with ShopAppy.com has got off to a flying start with so many Dorset consumers taking the time to nominate the friendly, customer focussed businesses they buy from and value. This underlines the positive impact that this support is having on local business communities at what continues to be an immensely challenging time for them.”
Dr Jackie Mulligan, Founder of ShopAppy.com – the organisation behind the UKs Love Local Day explains: “It has been a challenging last decade none more so than this last year for our town centres and high streets, but we know there is tremendous love for local businesses in our communities. No more so than in Wimborne. Love Local Day highlights the importance and positive impact these businesses have in the life of our communities and commercial hearts and how critical they will be to our social and economic recovery. It also shows them how much they are appreciated.”
Find out how your business can register with ShopAppy.com to trade online and benefit from Dorset LEP support on our help to trade online page.
ENDS
Editors notes:
Love Local Day is a support local campaign being led by ShopAppy. The campaign centres on Love Local Day (Valentines Day). Up until the day, locals are invited to nominate their most loved businesses and a select number of businesses receive a gift from the campaigners.
ShopAppy.com is a social enterprise and a support local campaign that is supported by Visa. The digital platform was created to revive British High Streets by providing an alternative way for places and small businesses to compete with the online retail giants, allowing customers to book events and experiences as well as browse and buy local products online with delivery, or click and collect after hours.
ShopAppy.com was mentioned in the Parliamentary Select Committee on Future High Streets in late 2018, and in March 2018 founder Jackie Mulligan spoke to MPs about the importance of local businesses at the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Markets in Westminster. In November 2018, Jackie Mulligan was awarded the prestigious Natwest GB Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Service Industries in the North and in March 2019, ShopAppy won Digital Innovation of the Year from Yorkshire and the Humber by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and later in 2019, ShopAppy was listed in the top 60 global innovations in retail, by Retail Insider and the top 20 likely to have a material benefit on retail.
Dorset LEP
Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership is a business led private and public sector partnership, promoting local economic growth and prosperity. Dorset LEP deliver projects that support and develop infrastructure, housing, skills, enterprise and business growth to achieve long-term economic benefit for all in Dorset.
For more information visit the Dorset LEP website http://www.dorsetlep.co.uk/
41 Businesses nominated in Wimborne
- About time watches
- Berties Country
- Cafe Aroma
- Carnival Flowers
- Chococake
- East Dorset Information Centre
- East Street Deli
- Fair Ground
- Fish cove aquatics
- Fluffets
- Going for Bust
- Gullivers
- Happicino at Walford Mill
- Hydropool Dorset
- John Bell
- John March Firearms
- Keating's Butchers
- Kyleigh's Papercuts
- Le Petit Prince
- Lime coast catering
- Minster Greens
- Old Malthouse Bakery
- Margaret Green Animal Rescue shop
- Pamphill Dairy
- Pare Hair
- Piccolo Mondo
- Present company
- Riverside Cafe
- Saville travel
- Spill the Beans
- Square Records
- The East Street Deli
- The Green Man
- The Malthouse Bakery
- The Short & Sweet Company
- The Thirsty Bird
- The Wood fired Piadizza co
- Toad Hall Country Vintage
- V and A store
- Wessex Optical (Boots Opticians)
Businesses nominated across Dorset
Rawston Farm Shop in Blandford, R J Balson Butcher in Bridport and Headstart in Colehill, Risaro@The Coventry Arms in Corfe Mullen, Crossways Travel in Dorchester, Highmead farm shop in Ferndown, Dorset Tech in Gillingham, Oakley Village Butchers in Merley, Forest Holme in Poole, The Nook and The Swans in Verwood, Chalbury Food & Wine and SW Coast Refills in Weymouth, Chester Pearce in Westbourne, K & B Installations in West Moors