Spenders urged to not to turn only to online giants and to spend with region’s businesses
Festive shoppers across Edinburgh and the Lothians are being urged to choose local in the final countdown to Christmas.
With the seasonal shopping season now at its peak, the team behind Scotland Loves Local is urging everyone in the region to prioritise local shops, attractions and enterprises, rather than automatically turning to online retail giants.
The so-called Golden Quarter during the lead-up to Christmas is the most important time of the year for many.
Kimberley Guthrieis Chief Officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation which spearheads Scotland Loves Local.
She said: “Edinburgh and the communities of the Lothians are blessed with so many unique and brilliant local businesses. It’s vital that everyone locally gets out there and supports them.
“This is a critical time for all retail and hospitality businesses. The difference we can make by choosing local and getting behind them really can define their year.
“Whether in person or online, we would encourage everyone to think local first when shopping. It’s an investment in your community’s future.
“By doing so, we are helping to secure the future of local businesses – many of which have served our communities for generations – the jobs of our friends and neighbours and ensuring the foundations remain from which our towns can build a new future.”
Scotland Loves Local is the campaign that urges people to think, choose and spend locally to build better futures for their community. It is spearheaded by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), with support from the Scottish Government.
In recent months, organisations of all kinds across the country have been signing the Scotland Loves Local Pledge – a promise that they will choose local and support the businesses around them whenever it is possible for them to do so.
“That is a pledge that people really can fulfil over the coming weeks,” Kimberley added.
A way in which local people can show that support is by using the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card. Cards can only be spent in the regions they are branded. That makes them a direct way in which money can be used to support local jobs in shops, bars, restaurants and visitor attractions.
Digital developments to the programme in recent months mean it has become easier than ever for businesses to use them as staff rewards this Christmas.
For more information about the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card, go to:
People across Edinburgh and the Lothians are being urged to turn the spotlight on their heroes of the high street.
Nominations have opened for the 2024 Scotland Loves Local Awards, which will see the nation’s town of the year crowned, alongside other accolades.
Organised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the awards recognise and reward the dedication, determination and innovation which is making communities fit for the future.
The categories nationally are:
Town of the Year
Most Enterprising Community
Place Leader of the Year
Eight High Street Hero Awards will also be presented – one in each of the Scottish Parliament electoral regions.
This will recognise a person or organisation who has gone above and beyond to support people and make their community a better place to live, work and visit.
STP Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: “There are people working tirelessly across Edinburgh and throughout the Lothians whose desire to make a difference is driving a new future for their community.
“Hard work and innovation is helping people and places to manage the cost of living, tackle the climate emergency while transforming places to become better, fairer, more attractive and successful.
“The Scotland Loves Local Awards are a chance to shine a spotlight on the determination and collaboration which really is improving lives in so many ways.”
Spearheaded by STP and supported by the Scottish Government, Scotland Loves Local is the movement encouraging people to create a better future for their community by choosing local. This is the fourth year in which the awards have been held.
Technology solutions company Vicinity, which works with councils and business improvement districts to provide data and audience insights to promote local places and economies, is sponsoring the Town of the Year category.
Chief Executive Henry Jinmansaid: “Our work gives us a fascinating insight into what makes places tick and we are delighted to work alongside STP to help foster a culture of innovation and collaboration in Scotland’s Towns and Places.
“That is why we are delighted to be supporting the Town of the Year category, to shine a spotlight on fantastic work being carried out by organisations and individuals across the country, making a real difference to places and the people who live there.”
Award nominations can be made at www.lovelocal.scot/awards, where full category criteria can also be found. There, you can briefly share the details of your nominee and why you would like to see them recognised.
The closing date for nominations is 5pm on Friday, August 23rd 2024. Finalists will be announced in September with presentations made to winners in October.
The achievements of finalists will also be celebrated at the Scotland’s Towns Conference in Perth on November 27th.
Survey by Scotland Loves Local highlights critical need for Edinburgh residents to get behind people and enterprises in the city
Nine-in-ten businesses in Edinburgh and the Lothians say the support of local people is critical to their survival as they battle continued unprecedented challenges.
The statistic has been revealed by the Scotland Loves Local campaign as it issues a rallying cry for people to choose local this summer and support enterprises – and protect jobs – in their community, unlocking millions of pounds worth of spending.
Research was carried out by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation which spearheads Scotland Loves Local, among its members and stakeholders, which include the country’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) – with the findings reinforcing the importance of grassroots action in fuelling a fairer, stronger, more sustainable national economy.
It found:
93% of businesses in Edinburgh and the Lothians said the support of the local community was important, of which 85% said it was “extremely important”.
93% also said it was important that people “love local” and get behind businesses in their communities this summer.
And the circular impact of businesses boosting their local economy was reinforced by the survey responses, with nine-in-ten (93%) who took part saying they buy from and sell to other local enterprises across the region.
Born as the nation emerged from the first Covid-19 lockdown in summer 2020, Scotland Loves Local has evolved into a campaign for longer-term good – encouraging people to make the places they live better by supporting the people and businesses around them.
That synergy between business and community was demonstrated in STP’s survey findings, with nearly three-quarters (73%) of survey respondents involved in wider community initiatives across Edinburgh city and the Lothians – such as skills development, volunteering and charity fundraising.
Businesses and communities mutually supporting one another is a philosophy close to the heart of Fin Clarkson, Food Services Manager at Space, a community Hub in Broomhouse, that operates a community café on site and Outta Space Pizza across the city.
Fin Clarkson said: “It’s hard out there at the moment – both for local businesses and the communities they serve.
“At Space, we are working hard to support local people through regular community meals, cooking classes and food education as well as an employability pathway from our Training Academy courses to paid employment within our social enterprises. Coming up we have our Kids Go Free no-questions-asked free school holiday meal provision which is a key part of our community focus.
“Keeping money in the local community is really important, and local businesses and social enterprises play a massive part in this. Our growing working lunch event catering and Outta Space Pizza create fantastic produce in Broomhouse that has the dual benefit of raising the profile of social enterprise and enabling us to reinvest the money into our services in Edinburgh’s south west.
“We couldn’t deliver these services without the support of the community around us and, in these challenging times, that support is more important than ever before. By loving local this summer, people can discover all the amazing experiences that we have on our doorstep – while supporting local enterprises that keep millions of pounds-worth of spending in local communities.
“That support will allow us to make Edinburgh an even better place to live, work and visit.
STP Chair Professor Leigh Sparks, the leading retail academic who’s also the University of Stirling’s deputy principal,said: “Towns, villages and local places across Scotland – and the businesses that operate at their heart – are the economic and social glue of the country and our communities.
“The cost of living and the cost of doing business, though, continue to challenge both consumers and businesses.
“Local support is the common thread that helps everyone weather this and build sustainable places and communities. By choosing local – and getting behind the businesses in our communities – we will ensure the survival of shops and services. Local consumer spending generates local business spending and protects the jobs of family, friends and neighbours.
“By loving local, we will also ensure that our high streets and town centres build a fairer, more sustainable Scotland – creating even better places to live, work and visit.”
Kimberley Guthrie, STP’s Interim Chief Officer, added: “We need to begin a permanent behaviour change in thinking local first this summer, whether for shopping, days out or simply local businesses trading with each other. Choosing local is not only good for our economy and environment, but the communities these fantastic local businesses serve too.”
People across the region are also being urged to spend using the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card, ensuring the money they spend stays local for longer by directly supporting shops, attractions and jobs in the area. Businesses and charities are also being encouraged to use them as rewards.
