Shoppers and businesses in and around Burton are being urged to "Get Vocal About Local" - and help the town recover from the closure of St Peter's Bridge.
The Get Vocal About Local campaign is a business promotion event run by Staffordshire County Council with the support of businesses and aims to help increase footfall in Burton in the run-up to Christmas and afterwards.
It will celebrate independent traders in Burton and highlight the economic and social benefits to the whole town of supporting them wherever possible. The campaign is being launched the week after St Peter’s Bridge, one of the town’s main gateways, reopened following major essential repairs and ahead of the Christmas lights switch-on.
The controversial three-month closure caused uproar with businesses who saw footfall plunge as shoppers steered clear of the town for fear of gridlock mayhem. Urgent repairs had been needed to replace rusted bearings and if the repairs had been delayed it could have led to permanent closure.
People and businesses are now being encouraged to share their favourite locally-bought goods and experiences on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #GetvocalaboutlocalBurton and #Burton. They can also email getvocalaboutlocal@staffordshire.gov.uk All posts will then be shared between thousands of people.
Two businesses already signed up to the campaign are the Alphabet Gift Shop, and Coffee Bar, in Union Street, and The Dial restaurant, in Station Street.
Sue Dorling, managing director at the Alphabet Gift Shop and Coffee Bar, said: "We got involved because we think it’s a great initiative for the town. We feel very strongly that independent retailers are the heart of the town and we want to support each other. These are tough times and we need that extra push.
"We are a local business and employ local people. We use local suppliers for our gift shop and coffee shop and people come here because they feel part of a family."
James Weeks, owner of The Dial, said: "I got involved because I’m a bit of a technophobe but I do realise that I’ve had to put more resource into social media in the last few years. This is a snowball that’s just going to get bigger and bigger. We need to shout about town centres, especially Burton which is fantastic.
"We’ve been here for 16 years now in Burton. This is a family business with nearly 70 staff and 17 professional chefs all cooking freshly made food. We use local suppliers and buy all of our drink from the local brewer."
Anyone taking part will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win vouchers for local restaurants, Christmas food hampers and tickets for Uttoxeter Racecourse and Burton Albion.
Through the campaign, businesses will also be able to find out the range of support offered locally, including from the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub.
People can find out more and sign up for regular campaign updates by visiting: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/getvocal
Staffordshire County Council cabinet support member and local county councillor Philip White said: "Supporting local business is a priority to the county council as they are vital to our economy and ensure we have thriving town centres. We were keen to launch the Get Vocal campaign ahead of the lights switch-on as this is the most important period in terms of trade.
"We also know there has been disruption as a result of the St Peter’s Bridge closure due to the essential repair work. Our message is that Burton is very much open to business and that the whole community benefits when we shop and spend leisure time locally.
"We’re encouraging as many people and businesses to get involved. Social media is a great way of letting people know what is available from local businesses, so we’re really excited to showcase what Burton has to offer."
Facts about the bridge closure
The bridge closed on August 29 following an announcement by Staffordshire County Council on August 10.
On the day of the closure at 6am motorists were already experiencing mayhem on the roads with gridlocked traffic.
On October 1, the Burton and district Chamber of Commerce held a round table meeting with firms who complained about the lack of consultation and notice they were given about the bridge closure. Many claimed they were 'on their knees' with the drop in footfall caused by the closure.
The county council originally reported the bride would be reopened at the end of November. This date was later brought forward to November 25, then again to the 18th.
On November 10, the council confirmed it would reopen the bridge as early as November 11 - however, the road was then reopened at around 3pm on November 10.
