Humans of the High Street encourages shoppers back into Stockton town centre

As Teesside high streets fight to recover from the effects of lockdown - Stockton's independent businesses are working together to bring back customers.

Stockton Bid are launching their Humans of The High Street campaign - to encourage shoppers back into businesses hit hard by the restrictions on retail,

They're hoping it will remind customers about the real people who've been fighting to keep their businesses afloat during the pandemic.

Louise Lowes runs Lulu's Personal Gifts in the town centre, she explains why it's so important to get people to stay in the town;

"We have lots of businesses which can draw people to the town - we want them to side-track into other shops.

"If somebody's in the town - it's kind of, keeping them in the town centre a little bit longer to experience and see the treasures which are off the main route.

"I absolutely adore my shop - it's my little piece of heaven,

"We have people come from Middlesbrough, from Redcar, from Hartlepool specifically to come to Lulu's

"So that's a big thing for me - bringing people from out of the area into Stockton as well."

Jason Maxwell, from the Stockton BID group, tells us that's the important thing - making sure people spend their money here - to help support local businesses and residents;

"If people shop here then what they are doing is putting money back into the local community

"And we know - that everytime someone spends some money in their businesses, then that money comes back into the community."

Meanwhile, Richard Drake - who owns Drake the Bookshop - tells us his customers were determined to support them during lockdown;

"The number of customers who've been desperate to support us - who've bought a book when they probably didn't need them,

"A chap, who lives in Billingham, his only journey since the start of lockdown, was a blue light from Billingham to North Tees Hospital,

"And then on the first Monday we opened, he wanted to come through the door just so we had one customer that day."

The businesses involved in Humans of the High Street are:

Richard & Mel Drake - Drake the Bookshop

Martin Shipley & Brian Burr - Who-Ray!

Margaret Bailey - Stockton Modeller

Norman Ainsley - Review Menswear

Carl Henderson - Wags & Whiskers

Paula Housden - Hicksons Motors

Jill Marshall - Jill's Flowerbox

John Christy - The Golden Smog

Louise Lowes - LuLu’s Personal Gifts