Waterford launches Shop Waterford Support Local campaign
As retailers and business owners across Waterford City and County begin to prepare for the reopening of the City and Town Centres a new Shop Waterford Support Local campaign is being launched.
The campaign, supported by business owners from Waterford City, Tramore and Dungarvan aims to encourage all Waterford people to support local in every purchase we make. The campaign wants the people of Waterford to support each other as when we act Together Waterford is Stronger.
The business owners and retailers of Waterford have shown resilience and innovation throughout the COVID19 restrictions and although City and Town centres were largely deserted many businesses continued behind closed doors. Initiatives such as Waterford Online and the Back Soon #Love Waterford responses encouraged local support and provided hope for a gradual return for business and society.
The Waterford Online campaign is continuing to update trading arrangements on a daily basis on its Facebook page and reminds us that Local Businesses employ local people and sponsor local teams and generously give raffle prizes to local fundraisers.
The Shop Waterford Support Local campaign is aimed at building on the momentum of the massive amount of support shown by Waterford people and to encourage a continuation of this support. Some outdoor businesses reopen this week and many of the City and Town Centres businesses open in Phase 2 which is planned for 8th June.
A Shop Waterford Support Local video campaign has been developed by Waterford.fyi in partnership with the City and Town Centre Management groups and is launching this week to coincide with Phase 1 reopening. The camapign features 17 business owners from Waterford City, Tramore and Dungarvan.
The City and Town Centre Management Group membership includes Waterford City and County Council, Waterford Chamber of Commerce, Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber of Commerce, Waterford Business Group and the Local Enterprise Office.
Darragh, Haven Pharmacy, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. “This pharmacy dates back to 1915. My father tells me stories of how the Spanish flu affected people here in Dungarvan, so we have a long insight and history here in Dungarvan. What pharmacies did back then, and what we do now was to give accessible healthcare to their communities and to be there for people when they needed them. What we are doing now is no different.”
Jack Molloy, Molloy’s Butchers, Waterford. “People are coming back to the butcher shops and they’re enjoying cooking again. It’s great talking to our customers and finding out what life is like for them. Life’s tough out there, but the one thing that we are finding is that family and people have gotten to come together again and are enjoying it. It’s gone to ‘comfort cooking’ now rather than comfort eating. It’s an interesting concept.”
Seamus Reynolds, Morris’s DIY, Waterford. “I would be a major, major fan of shopping local. I think it’s really critical, and particularly in this time, that we support local businesses, it’s so important. Instead of ordering online and it takes two or three weeks to come, what we try and do with my kids, is go into the retailer because chances are, they might be able to order it and get it in for you.”
A new website called “Waterford Business Supports Hub” has also been developed by the Waterford City and Town Centre Management Groups. The website is a one stop shop for all information relating to all supports for business across Waterford. There is information on financial supports, keeping customers and staff safe, minding our health and well-being and sharing good news stories about Waterford’s ongoing determination and drive to reopening business and society over the coming weeks and months.
