A new campaign encouraging the Galway public to help the recovery of local businesses by shopping local this Christmas has been launched by Galway City Council and Galway Chamber.
With many local retailers, service providers and hospitality outlets closed for considerable periods during lockdowns over the last two years, the campaign wants to remind shoppers how they can help boost the local economy during the festive season.
Funded by Galway City Council, the campaign highlights the benefits of supporting local businesses that boost the city's reputation and attract high quality enterprises to the city.
Galway city's director of services for economic development Patricia Philbin says by spending in local businesses, Galway can keep more of that investment within the city.
"By shopping local you are supporting local jobs, the local community and businesses,” Philbin says. “Given all that has happened this year, it is so important that we all, as a community, show our support to Galway businesses. Remember these are the businesses that are employing our family and friends, our neighbours and colleagues, and perhaps even our customers.
"Their survival has an impact on all of us. We are all part of the local economy and the local circle of business in Galway. By spending in these local businesses we keep more of that investment within Galway. We all want to see a thriving array of businesses operating in Galway. By shopping local this Christmas we can all do our part in ensuring that continues to be the case,” she says.
Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Galway Chamber will be highlighting a range of exclusive offers made available by Galway businesses. These will be promoted on the chamber’s website and across its social media channels.
Shop local and green
The campaign emphasises how shopping local helps not just local businesses, but also the wider community by creating jobs and generating additional revenue. Another message is that shopping local is greener, with less international shipping involved, including air transport of packages.
President of Galway Chamber Aengus Burns says Christmas is such an important time for local businesses - many of which earn a significant part of their annual sales during this period.
“It is even more vital this year given the difficult period many of these businesses have been through since the outset of the pandemic as lockdowns played havoc with their normal trading. That is why we are so keen to ensure the success of this campaign.
"By getting more people to shop local here in Galway we are not just helping businesses to recover and survive, but we are also helping ourselves. Keeping the money in our community means more local jobs, more investment and it supports the circle of local economic activity, allowing more local businesses to work with other local businesses. Ultimately this is good for Galway and we hope shoppers will remember that and embrace that principle in the run up to Christmas."
