Shoppers and customers of town centre businesses in Bury St Edmunds have the chance to help their favourites win a prize this week in a competition designed to support local companies. It’s part of a Love Local campaign for the town being launched on Valentines’ Day by award-winning Town Crier Tony Appleton in a special video message to be broadcast on social media.

Our Bury St Edmunds which runs the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) is backing the initiative which was first started by ShopAppy.com in 2019 declaring February 14 Love Local Day. This year it will be the first of a series of events by ShopAppy to champion localism and highlight the important and positive impact local businesses have in the life of their communities and how critical they will be in the social and economic recovery after the pandemic.

Business Support and Marketing Officer for Our Bury St Edmunds Mike Kirkham said: “Supporting the local High Street is vital for small businesses and it’s something Our Bury St Edmunds takes very seriously so campaigns like Love Local or Independents Day in the summer are promotions that we are very keen to join in with. Local businesses add character to town centres and are key to the area’s economy because when money is spent at a local shop much more of it stays local.”

As part of the Our Bury St Edmunds Love Local campaign businesses can win a free advertisement in a local publication and those who nominate them can also be in with a chance to win a £50 Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card which is valid at more than 50 town centre shops and businesses. Full details of the competition which runs from 14 – 17 February can be found on the Our Bury St Edmunds Facebook page.

The Love Local campaign is part of an ongoing programme by the BID to help boost the town centre economy through the pandemic and when lockdown is lifted. These activities have been made possible thanks to a partnership between Our Bury St Edmunds and Bury St Edmunds Town Council which has given generous sponsorship.

For more information visit www.ourburystedmunds.com.