Virtual high street launched to help local businesses in Sudbury
Shoppers are being encouraged to support their local High Street from the comfort of their own home.
Babergh District Council say over 50 shops, cafes, market traders and businesses have already signed up for the virtual high street.
It is a single online location which shoppers can access from home or on the move, before heading to the high street in person.
The Council say retailers can use the platform to enhance their in-store offer by introducing services such as pre-order or click and collect.
Store pages can be customised to include product listings, gallery, store opening times, there's also options for online purchasing and delivery.
The site's been created as part of the Sudbury Vision partnership with the aim of helping businesses keep connected with customers and encourage them to shop local.
Councillor Michael Holt, from Babergh Council, said: "This year has been incredibly challenging for high streets up and down the county and we wanted to help our businesses to stay connected with the customers and reach a wider audience through the Virtual High Street.
"We want to encourage more people to visit Sudbury and enjoy the fantastic independent shops on offer.
"The Virtual High Street provides an opportunity for shoppers to see what is available and plan ahead before the visit."
The scheme is initially running as a pilot with retailers signing up for free.
The authority said as the site grows, more functionality will be added such as activity and event listings, and high street promotions.
Rachel Price, who's the Town Centre manager for Sudbury Town Council, said: "Sudbury is a vibrant market town with a diverse mix of independent retailers, well known chain stores, and of course our much-loved twice weekly market.
"Our high street is full of personalisty and the past few months have reminded us how important that personal touch is and the value of supporting local.
"Our aim is to continue to support businesses through these difficult times as well as making it as convenient as possible to help residents discover and shop local.
"We know that some of our small businesses don't have the resources to create their own online shop but with the Virtual High Street, they can simply sign up for free and benefit from building their online presence."
Ellie Stock Bishop, who's the owner of Nell and Green Botanicals on East Street, said: "Our new shop had only been open two days when the Government announced lockdown.
"We embraced the opportunity to invest in our online presence, build our e-commerce platform, free local delivery service, and build our social media - we wanted to get our name out there.
"The online response was incredible, as was the demand in our delivery service. Being included in Sudbury's Virtual High Street also drove custom our way so we were grateful to be promoted on this free platform."
Dr Peter Funnell, from the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: "Suffolk Chamber is delighted to support the Virtual High Street in Sudbury, an initiative designed to help local businesses reach their customers.
"In the current context, it is important that we continue to encourage and support people, to shop local to boost local economies and ensure that businesses have a future on our high streets."