Cathedral Quarter Retailers Welcome Independents Day
Retailers in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter have welcomed a new initiative organised by that National Skills Academy for Retail and Skillsmart Retail which has renamed July 4 as Independents’ Day – encouraging people to support their local independent retailers.
Under the initiative, the public will be encouraged to buy at least one item from an independent shop on Monday.
Derby Retail Skills Shop, led by Derby College, and the Cathedral Quarter BID (Business Improvement District) company have been distributing eye-catching posters around the area which is the heart of independent shopping in the city centre.
The Skills Shop is also offering local businesses specialist training including the Mary Portas master classes and specialist customer service courses as part of the initiative.
James Hurdis, Director of family owned Canopy in Sadler Gate and a member of the Cathedral Quarter management group, said: “Independents’ Day is a great idea – raising awareness amongst the public of the value that independent retailers bring to the shopping experience in any town and city.
“There are more than 130 shops – most independently owned – in the Cathedral Quarter and we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of premium brands, many of which can only be found in this part of the city centre, backed by excellent customer service and product knowledge.
“These are obviously still challenging times for retailers and particularly those which are independently-owned and anything that raises awareness of the value of our contribution to the ‘High Street’ is very welcome.”
Richard Page, Manager of Derby Retail Skills Shop added: “Raising awareness amongst the public is one of the biggest challenges facing smaller retailers and our message is about encouraging the public to use their local high street and understand how important a diverse retail sector is.
“It is also essential that local retailers understand how to compete in today’s tough environment and we are therefore offering a range of specialist training to support them in staying at the top of their game.”
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