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Save our shops: Scheme from Staffordshire business team to help drive trade online

Staffordshire entrepreneur Darren Nelson has issued an SOS – Save Our Shops – urging thousands of small businesses to begin trading online to help them survive lockdown.

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The Ourlocal.uk team (from left) Russ James, Darren Nelson and Andi Elliott, have launched their Save Our Shops campaign

With business partners Russ James and Andi Elliott, the Penkridge businessman has launched a drive to save High Streets by helping thousands of shops, pubs, restaurants, takeaways and others get through lockdown and capitalise on the Christmas shopping rush.

The launch of Ourlocal.uk means businesses, not allowed to open under lockdown legislation, can get e-commerce websites within as little as 24 hours, ready to take online orders from customers and arrange deliveries.

Mr Nelson is putting his money where his mouth is. He will personally cover the cost of subscriptions during lockdown. No money is paid up front to produce the websites, helping cashflow.

Ourlocal.uk is an innovative new company that designs and delivers e-commerce websites for small businesses – covering the cost of set-up – so they can take online orders from customers and arrange deliveries and collections.

He said: “I’m sending out an SOS to save our shops. I’m calling on anyone that cares about the future of our High Streets and local shops to spread the word before it’s too late.

"Getting online could be the single best decision these businesses make. It could be the difference between survival and bankruptcy.

“Now, more than ever, we must support shops, pubs, restaurants and other small firms if we want them to survive. Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake,” said Darren.

Duncan Sandy, of The Soup Kitchen cafe in Stafford town centre, said he was eager to get online to provide a takeaway service to help save his cafe, which has operated for 120 years.

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